nutcase

IPA/ˈnʌtkeɪs/
IPA/ˈnʌtkeɪs/

nutcase — noun

  • nutcasesingular
  • nutcasesplural

1. an informal, mildly insulting name for someone who does things that seem ridicul

1.名詞B2
釋義

an informal, mildly insulting name for someone who does things that seem ridiculous or shows a complete lack of common sense — for example, making the same careless mistake again and again.

例句

Kofi locked his keys in the car three times this week — what a nutcase.

collocation: 'what a nutcase' as exclamation

Eve's plan to build a boat in her living room made her friends call her a nutcase.

pattern: 'call someone a nutcase'

同義詞
  • weirdo

    similar informality, focuses on strangeness rather than silliness

  • eccentric

    more neutral and even affectionate — a person who is pleasingly unusual, not ridiculously foolish

  • fool

    broader and less informal; refers mainly to bad judgment rather than odd behaviour

文法句型

a nutcase

nutcases (plural)

'what a nutcase!' as exclamation

用法筆記

Milder than sense 2, but still insulting — best avoided in polite or professional settings. The person is seen as foolish rather than mentally ill.

常見錯誤

❌He's a nutcase about football.
✅He's crazy about football.
💡'nutcase' is a noun for a person, not an adjective describing enthusiasm.
❌She's such a nutcase for working late.
✅She's crazy for working late.
💡'nutcase' labels the person, not their dedication.

2. a strongly offensive word used to insult someone by suggesting they have a menta

2.名詞
釋義

a strongly offensive word used to insult someone by suggesting they have a mental illness or are completely irrational. This term causes serious offence and its use is widely condemned by mental health organisations.

例句

Using the word 'nutcase' to describe someone with depression is deeply offensive and hurtful.

metalinguistic: discusses offensiveness of the word

The hospital staff said terms like 'nutcase' are harmful and should never be used about patients.

同義詞
  • lunatic

    equally offensive and outdated; also rooted in harmful mental-health stereotypes

  • maniac

    very strong, offensive when aimed at a person; can be milder in fixed phrases like 'traffic maniac' (enthusiast)

文法句型

a nutcase (countable)

used to insult a person

用法筆記

Strongly offensive. Do not use this sense to describe a person. Even when used jokingly between friends, it reinforces harmful stereotypes about mental illness. Preferred neutral alternatives include 'person with a mental illness' (person-first language) or simply describing the specific behaviour.

常見錯誤

❌That driver is a total nutcase!
✅That driver is very reckless.
💡using 'nutcase' for dangerous driving is offensive because it compares the driver to a person with mental illness.
❌Stop being such a nutcase.
✅Stop acting so silly / Stop being so unreasonable.
💡avoid the word entirely; choose a direct description instead.