wacko
crazy and eccentric
TRANSLATION
wacky = durchgedreht, exzentrisch wacko = der Spinner (woerterbuch.info) --- GOOGLE INDEX wacko: approximately 6,000,000 hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
Experts agree that, on the nutrition side, the key to losing 20 pounds is a sound, sustainable eating plan, rather than some sort of WACKO quick-fix diet.
(Men's Fitness magazine)
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"WACKO Jacko - where'd that come from? Some English tabloid. I have a heart and I have feelings. I feel that when you do that to me. It's not nice. Don't do it. I'm not a WACKO."
- Pop star Michael Jackson
(Men's Fitness magazine)
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"WACKO Jacko - where'd that come from? Some English tabloid. I have a heart and I have feelings. I feel that when you do that to me. It's not nice. Don't do it. I'm not a WACKO."
- Pop star Michael Jackson
Did you
know?
wacko
noun
- a person whose behaviour is strange and different from that of most people
wacky (sometimes whacky)
adjective
- unusual in a pleasing and exciting or silly way
(Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
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WORD ORIGIN
According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, wacko (1977) is an extended form of wack (1938), which is a back formation of whacky, late 19th century British slang for a fool. Whacky likely stems from whack, a blow or strike, and probably comes from the notion of being "whacked" on the head too many times.
Is Michael Jackson right when he says he's not a wacko? Many of his fans probably agree with that assessment. But applying the Cambridge Dictionary definition - a person whose behaviour is strange and different from that of most people - wacko would appear to be right on target.
The American Heritage Dictionary defines a wacko as a person who is eccentric or irrational. In Michael Jackson's defence, this definition could easily be applied to any number of celebrities. And perhaps being a little wacko is what it takes to be a celebrity sometimes.
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SYNONYMS
crackpot, crank, crazy, cuckoo, ding-a-ling, dingbat, flake, fruitcake, hare brain, lamebrain, loony, lunatic, misfit, nut, oddball, odd bird, screwball, weirdo
(Roget's New Millennium™ Thesaurus)
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SMUGGLE OWAD INTO TODAY'S CONVERSATION:
say something like:
"The investors have offered us 3 million for a 20% share of the company, we’d be wacko to refuse."
noun
- a person whose behaviour is strange and different from that of most people
wacky (sometimes whacky)
adjective
- unusual in a pleasing and exciting or silly way
(Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
---
WORD ORIGIN
According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, wacko (1977) is an extended form of wack (1938), which is a back formation of whacky, late 19th century British slang for a fool. Whacky likely stems from whack, a blow or strike, and probably comes from the notion of being "whacked" on the head too many times.
Is Michael Jackson right when he says he's not a wacko? Many of his fans probably agree with that assessment. But applying the Cambridge Dictionary definition - a person whose behaviour is strange and different from that of most people - wacko would appear to be right on target.
The American Heritage Dictionary defines a wacko as a person who is eccentric or irrational. In Michael Jackson's defence, this definition could easily be applied to any number of celebrities. And perhaps being a little wacko is what it takes to be a celebrity sometimes.
---
SYNONYMS
crackpot, crank, crazy, cuckoo, ding-a-ling, dingbat, flake, fruitcake, hare brain, lamebrain, loony, lunatic, misfit, nut, oddball, odd bird, screwball, weirdo
(Roget's New Millennium™ Thesaurus)
---
SMUGGLE OWAD INTO TODAY'S CONVERSATION:
say something like:
"The investors have offered us 3 million for a 20% share of the company, we’d be wacko to refuse."
