to act like a peabrain
- idiom
- Offensive
- Please stop acting like a peabrain and help us solve the problem.
Examples
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She realized she was acting like a peabrain when she forgot her keys for the third time.
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She always acts like a peabrain when she gets nervous.
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If you keep acting like a peabrain, you'll never finish your work on time.
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Don't act like a peabrain!
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If you keep acting like a peabrain, you'll struggle to make good decisions.
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He was acting like a peabrain when he thought it was safe to cross the street without looking.
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Don't act like a peabrain; think through your choices before making a decision.
Synonyms
Act in a foolish or playful way without taking things seriously
To behave in a silly or embarrassing way to get attention
To act in a silly, embarrassing way to make people laugh
To behave in a rude, stupid way
To behave in a silly or clumsy way
To act in a foolish way
Act in a foolish, annoying way instead of being serious
Behave in a rude, annoying, and foolish way toward other people
To behave in a foolish and clumsy way
To behave in a foolish, clumsy way that makes people laugh
Behave in a silly, careless way to avoid serious talk
To behave in a silly and immature way
To behave in a rude and annoying way
Act in a foolish way
To do silly things that make problems for yourself
To behave in a silly, awkward way that looks foolish
To behave rudely or foolishly in a way that annoys others
To act in a silly or stupid way
To behave in a silly way without thinking when nervous or tired
Act in a foolish way because you trust people too easily
Behave in a silly, clumsy way
To do something silly without thinking
To behave in a silly or wild way that makes people laugh
To behave foolishly or clumsily
Act in a silly, embarrassing way
Act in a foolish, clumsy way
To behave foolishly and show little common sense
Act in a silly or stupid way
Behave in a silly or foolish way
To behave in a silly or annoying way
To behave in a stupid and rude way
Act in a foolish or careless way
To behave in a silly, rude way and break rules
Antonyms
How Foolish
Surface Forms
Morphology
The insult 'peabrain' is a transparent compound of 'pea' (small) + 'brain' (intellect), so 'act like a peabrain' literally means 'behave as if you have a very small brain' = behave foolishly. Despite being informal/slang, the compositional imagery is straightforward and a B1 learner who knows the constituent words should be able to infer the meaning.
Etymology
Act like a peabrain may come from the image of a very small brain — a pea instead of a real brain — so you picture someone who cannot think well. That's why it means 'to behave in a foolish or senseless way'.