lamebrain moment
- noun
- /ˈleɪmˌbreɪn ˈmoʊmənt/
- Offensive
:
momento de estupidez
- I had a lamebrain moment and left my keys in the car.
Examples
-
It was a total lamebrain moment when I sent the email to the wrong person.
-
Everyone has a lamebrain moment now and then, so don't worry about it.
-
I had a lamebrain moment when I forgot my keys at home.
-
She experienced a lamebrain moment during the meeting.
-
I had a lamebrain moment when I walked into the wrong classroom.
-
Everyone experiences a lamebrain moment at some point, especially when they are stressed.
-
It was a real lamebrain moment when I forgot to pick up my friend from the airport.
Synonyms
4
7.7
A short time when an older person forgets something or becomes confused
A short time when you forget something and feel confused
A short time when someone forgets something or acts silly
A short time when someone acts silly
A short time when someone does something silly or foolish
A short embarrassing mistake you make
How Silly
7
4.4
- Informal
4
2.8
- Offensive
79
1.6
81
4.9
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'an instance of foolishness' is directly and compositionally derived from 'lamebrain' (someone foolish) + 'moment' (a short time) — i.e., a short time of behaving like a lamebrain. This simple nominal modification/compounding pattern is common and transparent, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
The phrase lamebrain moment may come from the old use of lame to mean 'weak' or 'not working' combined with brain, so it paints the picture of your brain not working for a short time. That's why a lamebrain moment means a brief time when you do something silly or forget something.