# few cards shy of a full deck

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/few-cards-shy-of-a-full-deck
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Mentally deranged; demented; insane.

## Examples

- He acts like he is a few cards shy of a full deck.
- After hearing his strange theories about the moon, I suspect he is a few cards shy of a full deck.
- The villagers whispered that the eccentric hermit living in the woods was a few cards shy of a full deck, given his habit of talking to the trees.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.