head screwed on straight
2
6.9
- idiom
- Informal
:
tener la cabeza bien puesta
- She always makes sensible decisions because she has her head screwed on straight.
- get your head screwed on straight
Examples
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That's the whole problem—people who have their heads screwed on straight aren't crazy enough to want to wade into the alligator-infested swamp of politics.
Blog text (5) -
Because that would mean as many people as possible had their heads screwed on straight.
Blog text (11) -
I'm glad that someone here has their head screwed on straight.
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Get straight with your husband and kids, let them know you didn't have your head screwed on straight for a while.
Blog text (19) -
Anybody who has invested the time, effort, and attention in getting your head screwed on straight will likely enjoy hearing how you've turned out (and take credit if the result is positive!)
Blog text (17) -
In challenging situations, it's important to have your head screwed on straight to make the best choices.
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I appreciate friends who keep their heads screwed on straight when facing difficult times.
Synonyms
3
4.2
Able to think clearly, stay calm, and make good decisions in difficult situations
1
5.5
Practical and realistic, using facts and experience
Antonyms
How Sensible
758
2.1
- Informal
2
6.9
14
4.0
40
3.5
505
1.3
Surface Forms
Morphology
head + screwed + on + straight
The phrase literally combines 'head' with the idea of being 'screwed on' (attached) and 'straight' (properly aligned), so the sense 'one's head is properly attached/aligned' can be mentally mapped onto 'having good judgement'. However, this is a metaphorical, somewhat colloquial extension of the literal words and the construction ('screwed on' used metaphorically about the head) may not be fully predictable to an average B1 learner without prior exposure.
Etymology
Head screwed on straight comes from the simple picture of a head being screwed on so it sits straight and works properly. That's why the phrase means someone has 'good judgment' or is 'sensible'.