off the top of my head...
without giving it much thought...
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, here's everything I know about strategic bond funds.
(The Motley Fool)
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"OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I think about 40 percent wouldn't go ahead with 24-hour opening. The pubs would have to close for at least four hours just to clean up and re-stock. Opening for 24 hours is a huge commitment."
(BBC News)
(The Motley Fool)
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"OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I think about 40 percent wouldn't go ahead with 24-hour opening. The pubs would have to close for at least four hours just to clean up and re-stock. Opening for 24 hours is a huge commitment."
(BBC News)
Did you
know?
off the top of my head
idiom
- if you say something off the top of your head, you say it without thinking about it for very long or looking at something that has been written about it
(Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
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The expression "off the top of my head" is a practical way to qualify a statement or opinion, meaning that it lessens the strength or meaning of something one says. It serves as a warning that information being provided may not be 100 percent accurate or may lack something.
Otherwise, someone might accuse you of having "rocks in your head" (to be silly or crazy) and they might "serve you your head on a platter" (to be very angry at someone and want to have them punished).
But if it turns out that a statement is accurate, perhaps the person would say that you have your "head screwed on right" (to have good judgement) and that you are "head and shoulders above the rest" (much better than other similar people or things).
After receiving such praise though, be careful not to become "a big-head" (someone who believes that they are very clever or very good at an activity and who thinks that other people should admire them) or avoid getting "a swelled head" (to become conceited or over-confident). In this case, simply "hold your head high" (to show that you are not ashamed of your efforts).
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SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"I can't answer that off the top of my head, I'll have to research it and get back to you."
idiom
- if you say something off the top of your head, you say it without thinking about it for very long or looking at something that has been written about it
(Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
---
The expression "off the top of my head" is a practical way to qualify a statement or opinion, meaning that it lessens the strength or meaning of something one says. It serves as a warning that information being provided may not be 100 percent accurate or may lack something.
Otherwise, someone might accuse you of having "rocks in your head" (to be silly or crazy) and they might "serve you your head on a platter" (to be very angry at someone and want to have them punished).
But if it turns out that a statement is accurate, perhaps the person would say that you have your "head screwed on right" (to have good judgement) and that you are "head and shoulders above the rest" (much better than other similar people or things).
After receiving such praise though, be careful not to become "a big-head" (someone who believes that they are very clever or very good at an activity and who thinks that other people should admire them) or avoid getting "a swelled head" (to become conceited or over-confident). In this case, simply "hold your head high" (to show that you are not ashamed of your efforts).
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"I can't answer that off the top of my head, I'll have to research it and get back to you."
