Running Around Like a Chicken With its Head Cut Off

Also:

Running around like a headless chicken
(acting like) a chicken with its head cut off

Meaning of Idiom ‘Running Around Like a Chicken With Its Head Cut Off’

Someone who is running around like a chicken with its head cut off is rushing about and behaving in a panicked and irrational manner; someone acting in a frenzy without thinking about what he or she is doing; doing things in a hurry. 1Ayto, John. Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms. Oxford: Oxford U, 2010.,2Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.

Examples Of Use

“I’ve been running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to get ready for this party.”

“Every time her mom comes to visit Melissa is like a chicken with its head cut off!”

Origin

The expression in its current form has been used since at least the early 1900’s, alluding to how chickens sometimes run awkwardly and aimlessly about, and flop around violently after their heads or spines have been severed.

More Idioms Starting with R

• Rub Someone the Wrong Way
• Raw Deal, a
• Running On Fumes
• Run a Bath
• Ride Shotgun

More Around Idioms

• Monkey Around
• Run Around
• Beat Around the Bush
• Nose Around
• Horse Around

More Body Part Idioms

• Go Belly Up
• Stand On Someone’s Shoulders
• In One’s Face
• Give Someone the Cold Shoulder
• Know Something Like the Back Of One’s Hand

More Bird Related Idioms

• Get Your Ducks in a Row
• Watch Like a Hawk
• Turkey Shoot
• Goose Egg
• Catbird Seat, in the

More Chicken Idioms

• Nest Egg, a
• Chicken Out
• No Spring Chicken
• Rubber-Chicken Dinner

More Cut Idioms

• Fish Or Cut Bait
• Cut the Mustard
• Cut From the Same Cloth
• Cut and Run
• Cut Out of Whole Cloth

More Head Idioms

• Have Something Hanging Over Your Head
• Hard-Headed
• Off the Top Of My Head
• Hit the Nail On the Head
• Head Of The Class

More Off Idioms

• Tick Off
• Ticked Off
• Blow the Lid Off (something)
• Go Off Half-Cocked
• Run Away With (something)

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