'Stir-Crazy' Is Not a Way of Cooking
2020-02-02
LRC
TXT
大字
小字
滚动
全页
1Now, Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English.
2Today we talk about a common expression made from two common words -- stir and crazy.
3Put them together and you have the adjective stir-crazy!
4Now, before we talk about stir-crazy, let's talk about the words separately, starting with "crazy."
5We use the word "crazy" in so many different situations.
6For example, one meaning of crazy is insane.
7If someone's behavior is really annoying you, you can say they are driving you crazy - making you lose your mind!
8Crazy also means in love with something or someone to an unusual, often comical degree.
9You can be crazy about baseball, crazy about spaghetti or crazy about traveling.
10If you are crazy in this way, we might say you have lost your head.
11We also use the word "crazy" to mean an extreme level.
12For example:
13"She has been crazy busy these last few days!"
14"That guy is crazy good-looking!"
15and
16"This spaghetti is crazy good."
17Now, the verb "stir." When you stir something, you mix it up.
18In the kitchen, we often stir dishes like soup and cake batter.
19However, stir used to have another meaning.
20Several online dictionaries say that in the mid-1800s, stir was slang for prison.
21Aha! That information helps today's expression make sense.
22"Stir-crazy" means you feel unhappy and upset because you have been in a place for a long time and you want to get out.
23Some experts say the term "stir-crazy" dates back to the early 1900s.
24It was used to describe prisoners who become mentally unbalanced from being locked up.
25Other prisoners would say they went "stir-crazy."
26Today we use the expression to mean stuck in any situation where we do not want to be.
27If you are stir-crazy, you feel restless, trapped and bored.
28Now, let's hear the word used in some examples:
29This class is so boring! When will it be over? I'm going stir-crazy sitting here!
30The jury talked about the case in a small room with no air conditioner for nine days.
31By the tenth day, everyone was stir-crazy.
32When is this rain going to stop?! I've been cooped up in the house with the kids all week. I'm completely stir-crazy!
33That's right. Even love for those with whom you are stuck is not a fix for feeling stir-crazy!
34And that's Words and Their Stories.
35Until next time ... I'm Anna Matteo.
36In the Comments section, share a time when you felt stir-crazy.
1Now, Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English. 2Today we talk about a common expression made from two common words -- stir and crazy. Put them together and you have the adjective stir-crazy! 3Now, before we talk about stir-crazy, let's talk about the words separately, starting with "crazy." 4We use the word "crazy" in so many different situations. 5For example, one meaning of crazy is insane. If someone's behavior is really annoying you, you can say they are driving you crazy - making you lose your mind! 6Crazy also means in love with something or someone to an unusual, often comical degree. You can be crazy about baseball, crazy about spaghetti or crazy about traveling. If you are crazy in this way, we might say you have lost your head. 7We also use the word "crazy" to mean an extreme level. 8For example: 9"She has been crazy busy these last few days!" 10"That guy is crazy good-looking!" 11and 12"This spaghetti is crazy good." 13Now, the verb "stir." When you stir something, you mix it up. In the kitchen, we often stir dishes like soup and cake batter. 14However, stir used to have another meaning. Several online dictionaries say that in the mid-1800s, stir was slang for prison. 15Aha! That information helps today's expression make sense. "Stir-crazy" means you feel unhappy and upset because you have been in a place for a long time and you want to get out. 16Some experts say the term "stir-crazy" dates back to the early 1900s. It was used to describe prisoners who become mentally unbalanced from being locked up. Other prisoners would say they went "stir-crazy." 17Today we use the expression to mean stuck in any situation where we do not want to be. If you are stir-crazy, you feel restless, trapped and bored. 18Now, let's hear the word used in some examples: 19This class is so boring! When will it be over? I'm going stir-crazy sitting here! 20The jury talked about the case in a small room with no air conditioner for nine days. By the tenth day, everyone was stir-crazy. 21When is this rain going to stop?! I've been cooped up in the house with the kids all week. I'm completely stir-crazy! 22That's right. Even love for those with whom you are stuck is not a fix for feeling stir-crazy! 23And that's Words and Their Stories. 24Until next time ... I'm Anna Matteo. 25In the Comments section, share a time when you felt stir-crazy. 26Anna Matteo wrote this for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. 27_________________________________________________________________ 28Words in This Story 29adjective - n. a word that describes a noun or a pronoun 30lose your head - expression to not have control of your emotions 31slang - n. words that are not considered part of the standard vocabulary of a language and that are used very informally in speech especially by a particular group of people 32bored - adj. filled with the state of being weary and restless through lack of interest 33cooped up - verbal to keep (a person or animal) inside a building or in a small space especially for a long period of time -usually used as (be) cooped up