doolally
Britishadjective
Etymology
Origin of doolally
C19: originally military slang, from Deolali, a town near Mumbai, the location of a military sanatorium + Hindustani tap fever
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I know it's been a difficult week but have these players gone doolally?
From BBC • Apr. 22, 2021
Mendes stopped and looked over at Fionnula Flanagan, a newcomer to the cast, who would play the doolally Aunt Maggie.
From The New Yorker • Sep. 17, 2018
I wonder if the silence is sending everyone doolally.
From The Guardian • Jun. 12, 2015
After Friday's match in Cardiff I was diverted with some doolally daydream doodles which helped down a few amiable late-night slurps.
From The Guardian • Oct. 13, 2012
I asked incredulously—knowing that he had been a distinguished soldier, and suspecting that he had suddenly developed what the soldiers describe as "a touch of the doolally."
From Over the Fireside with Silent Friends by King, Richard
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
