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bad hair day

idiom
Meaning

A day when things seem to be unmanageable or go wrong.


Origin

disputed origin

Said to have been coined by British trichologist Philip Kingsley (1930–2016).

Examples
SIMPLE

I'm having a bad hair day today.

CONTEXTUAL

After spilling coffee and missing the bus, she admitted it was just a bad hair day.

COMPLEX

Nothing seemed to go right that morning: the toast burned, the car wouldn't start, and by noon he accepted it was simply a bad hair day.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    a cold day in July

    The time of occurrence of an event that will never happen.

  2. 02

    a day late and a dollar short

    Too late and too feeble to achieve the desired effect.

  3. 03

    a year and a day

    A long time.

  4. 04

    as the day is long

    Unceasingly; very; thoroughly; to a very high degree.

  5. 05

    bad actor

    An individual or entity with a prior criminal conviction, or who has been sanctioned by the court or regulator.

  6. 06

    bad apple

    A person who is not wholesome, honest, or trustworthy, especially one who has an adverse influence on others.

  7. 07

    bad books

    Disfavor.

  8. 08

    bad business

    Synonym of bad news (“irritating, troublesome or harmful thing, situation or person”).

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