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head-scratching

Confusing, perplexing, puzzling.

Etymology:

  • head + scratching, from the fact that many people scratch the side of their head when confused.
5 Views
“

He became for a short time delirious, in consequence of attempting to comprehend the works of Mr. Nebulous, in which the English language is exhibited casting of summersets, with many prancings to and fro, before earnest-gazing, head-scratching readers, in murkiest obscuration, marvel stricken, with maddest humour and grinning contortions, heels-over-head, wondrous!

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Submitted on July 10, 2018

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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to head-scratching

hit the nail on the headhead waiterhead triphead triphead startin one's headi've seen a better looking head on…head-emptierhead-spinninglyhold your head highhead to toehead-in-the-sandhead-onin one's head

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    "head-scratching." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Dec. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/head-scratching_25849>.

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