nuts
nuts Lexical Profile
nuts Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Plural of nut: hard-shelled dry fruits or seeds Containing an edible kernel, such as almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts.
"She topped her morning oatmeal with a handful of roasted nuts and fresh berries."
Plural of nut: small, usually hexagonal metal blocks with a threaded hole in the center, used for fastening onto bolts or screws.
"Make sure all the nuts and bolts on the bicycle frame are tightened securely before riding."
• adjective
(informal) Mentally unbalanced, eccentric, or foolish; absurd or impractical.
"You must be completely nuts to go swimming in the lake in the middle of winter."
(informal, usually followed by 'about' or 'over') Intensely enthusiastic, passionate, or infatuated.
"The children are nuts about the new animated movie and want to watch it every weekend."
• interjection
(informal) Used to express disappointment, annoyance, frustration, or defiant refusal.
"Aw, nuts! I left my umbrella on the train again."
Word Nuance & Usage
As an adjective meaning 'crazy' or 'enthusiastic,' 'nuts' is informal and used almost exclusively as a predicate adjective (e.g., 'That plan is nuts' rather than 'a nuts plan').
• Rhymes for nuts
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from Old English 'hnutu', of Germanic origin. The informal adjective sense meaning 'crazy' developed in the late 19th century as a shortening of 'off one's nut' (where 'nut' meant 'head'), while the sense of 'enthusiastic' arose from the earlier British slang phrase 'to be nuts on' (meaning to be very fond of something, likening it to a sweet treat).