in one's right mind

Idioms and Phrases

In a healthy mental state; sane and rational. For example, No one in his right mind would ski down this icy slope . This expression is often used in a negative construction, as in the example. The positive sense appears in the New Testament (Mark 5:15), where a deranged man whom Jesus helped is now “sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind.” The antonym out of one's mind , as in You must be out of your mind to swim in that icy stream , is from the same period. [c. 1600] Also see go out of one's mind .

Related Words

• clear-cut
• consistent
• credible
• judicious
• justifiable
• logical
• plausible
• rational
• reasoned
• sane
• sensible
• sober
• thoughtful
• wise