loony tune
- noun
- /ˈluːni tuːn/
- Slang
:
idea loca
- His plan to build a rocket in his backyard is a loony tune.
Examples
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The committee dismissed his proposal as just another loony tune.
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That idea is a total loony tune!
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Everyone thought her plan to build a flying bicycle was a real loony tune.
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Sometimes it takes a loony tune to spark real innovation.
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His scheme to build a flying car was considered a loony tune by the experts.
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She always comes up with the most loony tunes, like trying to train her cat to fetch.
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Many people thought his idea of a city on the moon was a loony tune.
Synonyms
An idea that seems crazy or very unusual
An idea that is strange and unlikely to work
An idea that seems a little crazy
A strange, unrealistic idea that seems silly to most people
A very strange thought or plan that seems extreme
A foolish idea that probably will not work
Antonyms
How Crazy
- Slang
2
5.3
Surface Forms
Morphology
The adjective 'loony' clearly signals craziness, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will likely guess the expression refers to something mad or eccentric. However, 'tune' normally denotes a melody and does not transparently map onto 'idea' or 'plan', so the precise sense 'crazy idea/plan' is not fully predictable without prior exposure.
Etymology
Loony tune likely comes from the cartoon name 'Looney Tunes' and from the words loony (crazy) and tune (a song). So imagine a wild, silly song—this image helps you remember that a loony tune means 'a very crazy or silly idea'.