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Hairbrained
- Most authorities on these things regard hairbrained as a misspelling. It has been a common one for centuries, though, and it does sort of make sense when we consider that someone with hair in their brain probably isn’t much smarter than a hare. Still, harebrained is the conventional spelling.
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How do you spell 'hare-brained'?
Is a hare a brain stuffed with hair?
Is 'hare-brained' a Canadian word?
Is hair-brained a harebrained scheme?
The spelling hair-brained is also frequently used, but some people consider it to be incorrect. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases Stupid and silly
Oct 22, 2013 · The OED defines the term “hare-brained” (which it hyphenates) as “having or showing no more ‘brains’ or sense than a hare; heedless, reckless; rash, wild, mad. Of persons, their actions, etc.” The “hair” version of the usage later inspired two alternative definitions: “having hair-sized brains” and “having brains stuffed with hair.”
Hare-brained is the more common spelling and more accurately reflects the origin of the term, which was first used in the 16th century to describe a foolish person—one “with the brain of a hare”: “My desire is that none of you be so unadvised or harebrained …” (British historian Edward Hall, 1548)
Having or showing little sense; foolish: a harebrained scheme. Usage Note: The first recorded 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 spellings hare-brained and hair-brained are both accepted. (The hyphen is preferred in Canadian spelling, but the terms may also be written without it.) Hare-brained is the more common spelling and more accurately reflects the origin of the term, which was first used in the 16th century to describe a foolish person—one “with the brain ...
Definition of hare-brained adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
