harebrained

hare·brained (hâr

)

adj.

Foolish; flighty: a harebrained scheme.

Usage Note: The first use of harebrained dates to 1548. The spelling hairbrained also has a long history, going back to the 1500s when hair was a variant spelling of hare. The hair variant was preserved in Scotland into the 18th century, and as a result it is impossible to tell exactly when people began writing hairbrained in the belief that the word means "having a hair-sized brain" rather than "with no more sense than a hare." While hairbrained continues to be used and confused, it should be avoided in favor of harebrained which has been established as the correct spelling.

harebrained, hairbrained [ˈhɛəˌbreɪnd]

adj

rash, foolish, or badly thought out harebrained schemes

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Adj.

harebrained - very foolish; "harebrained ideas"; "took insane risks behind the wheel"; "a completely mad scheme to build a bridge between two mountains"

insane, mad

foolish - devoid of good sense or judgment; "foolish remarks"; "a foolish decision"

Translations

harebrained [ˈhɛəbreɪnd] ADJ [idea, scheme] → disparatado, descabellado; [person] → casquivano

harebrained hairbrained [ˈhɛəˌbreɪnd] adj → scervellato/a

Mentioned in	?		References in classic literature	?		Dictionary browser	?		Full browser	?
crackpot empty-headed flighty foolish hairbrained half-baked hare idiotic insane irrationality irresponsible MAD rash reckless	The harebrained self-conceit which had emboldened Wamba to undertake this dangerous office, was scarce sufficient to support him when he found himself in the presence of a man so dreadful, and so much dreaded, as Reginald Front-de-B Ivanhoe by Scott, Walter View in context Perhaps he might have been suspected of meannesss if it had not been for the fact that with wonderful disinterestedness and all a comrade's readiness, his purse would be opened for some harebrained boy who had ruined himself at cards or by some other folly. The Country Doctor by de Balzac, Honore View in context I shall perhaps find myself one day called out by some harebrained scamp, who has no more real cause of quarrel with me than you have with Beauchamp; he may take me to task for some foolish trifle or other, he will bring his witnesses, or will insult me in some public place, and I am expected to kill him for all that. The Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas, Alexandre View in context	hardware store hardwareman Hardwick Hall hardwood hardworking Hardy hardy annual hardy perennial Hardy-Weinberg law hare hare and hounds Hare kangaroo Hare Krishna Hare Krishnas hare wallaby Hare's lettuce Hare's-ear hare's-foot hare's-foot bristle fern Hare's-foot fern Hare's-tail Hare's-tail grass hare-brained Hare-hearted harebell harebrained Haredi hareem Harefoot Harefoot clover Harehound Hareld harelip harelipped harem harem pants Harengiform harestail Harewood House Harfang Harfleur Hargeisa Hargreaves Hari Rud hari-kari Hariali grass haricot haricot vert haricots verts Haridwar Harier	hare's-tail grass hare's-tail grasses hare's-tails Hare, David Hare, David Hare, Jimmy Hare, Jimmy Hare, John Hare, Raymond A Hare, Raymond A. Hare, Robert Hare, Robert Hare, Sir David Hare, Sir David Hare, Sir David Hare, Sir David Hare, Sir John hare-brained Hare-Clark system Hare-hearted Hare-lip Hare-wallabies Hare-wallaby HAREA harebell harebell harebell Harebells Harebells Harebells harebrained HAREC hared hared hared hared hared Haredi Haredi Judaism Haredim hareem hareem Harees Harees Harees Harees Harees Harefield Backyard Wrestling Federation Harefoot Harefoot clover Harehound HAREI Hareld harelip harelip harelip harelip harelip harelipped harelipped harelipped

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crackpot
empty-headed
flighty
foolish
hairbrained
half-baked
hare
idiotic
insane
irrationality
irresponsible
MAD
rash
reckless

The harebrained self-conceit which had emboldened Wamba to undertake this dangerous office, was scarce sufficient to support him when he found himself in the presence of a man so dreadful, and so much dreaded, as Reginald Front-de-B

Ivanhoe by Scott, Walter View in context

Perhaps he might have been suspected of meannesss if it had not been for the fact that with wonderful disinterestedness and all a comrade's readiness, his purse would be opened for some harebrained boy who had ruined himself at cards or by some other folly.

The Country Doctor by de Balzac, Honore View in context

I shall perhaps find myself one day called out by some harebrained scamp, who has no more real cause of quarrel with me than you have with Beauchamp; he may take me to task for some foolish trifle or other, he will bring his witnesses, or will insult me in some public place, and I am expected to kill him for all that.

The Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas, Alexandre View in context

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harebrained