PhrasesHub

Bats in the belfry

    Definitions

      • Crazy or eccentric behavior
        To describe someone who is behaving in an irrational or unpredictable manner, often due to mental instability or confusion

      • Strange or unconventional ideas or thoughts
        Referring to someone who has unusual or unconventional ideas or thoughts, often considered to be bizarre or nonsensical

      • Disorganized or chaotic state
        To describe a situation or environment that is chaotic or confused, often with a negative connotation

    Examples of Bats in the belfry

    • She's been acting a little strange lately, like she has bats in the belfry.

      This idiom is used to describe someone who is acting in a peculiar or irrational way. The phrase "bats in the belfry" is believed to have originated in the Middle Ages when people believed that bats living in church bell towers (belfries) caused people to go crazy.

    • The new CEO seems to have bats in the belfry with all these wild ideas he's proposing.

      This idiom is used to describe someone who is proposing impractical or unrealistic ideas. The phrase "bats in the belfry" is used to suggest that the person's ideas are so outlandish that they are bordering on insanity.

    • I'm starting to think my brother has bats in the belfry after he suggested we paint the house pink.

      This idiom is used to describe someone who is proposing an unusual or unexpected idea. The phrase "bats in the belfry" is used to suggest that the person's idea is so unusual that it is bordering on insanity.

    • The artist's latest sculpture has bats in the belfry with its unconventional design.

      This idiom is used to describe something that is unusual or unconventional. The phrase "bats in the belfry" is used to suggest that the sculpture is so unusual that it is bordering on insanity.

    • The politician's campaign promises have bats in the belfry with their unrealistic goals.

      This idiom is used to describe something that is impractical or unrealistic. The phrase "bats in the belfry" is used to suggest that the politician's goals are so unrealistic that they are bordering on insanity.


    Conclusion

    The idiom "bats in the belfry" is commonly used to describe someone who is acting in an irrational or eccentric manner, has strange ideas or thoughts, or is in a chaotic and disorganized state. It can be used to describe individuals or situations and often has a negative connotation.

    Origin of "Bats in the belfry"

    The origin of this idiom is believed to come from the association of bats with darkness, mystery, and the supernatural. The word "belfry" refers to the part of a church or building that contains bells, and bats are known to inhabit these spaces. Therefore, the phrase "bats in the belfry" was used figuratively to refer to someone who was behaving in a strange or nonsensical manner, as if they had bats flying around inside their head.

    Another theory suggests that the phrase originated from the medieval belief that bats were possessed by evil spirits and that they would fly out of the belfry of a church, causing chaos and confusion. This ties in with the use of the idiom to describe someone in a disorganized or chaotic state.

    Overall, the origin of the idiom "bats in the belfry" is believed to stem from the association of bats with darkness, mystery, and the supernatural, and has evolved to describe various forms of eccentric or irrational behavior or thinking.