“Mad as a Hatter, Blind as a Bat” is an example of idiomatic combinations or mixed idioms. This occurs when two well-known expressions are blended together to form a new phrase, often with a more vivid or humorous twist.
But what does it actually mean? Let’s take a closer look:
Meaning
The phrase “mad as a hatter, blind as a bat” is a combination of two well-known expressions:
- “Mad as a hatter“: This part refers to someone who is behaving in a crazy, irrational, or eccentric way. It originates from the 19th century when hat-makers, who were exposed to mercury, often displayed erratic or unpredictable behavior.
- “Blind as a bat”: This part describes someone who has very poor vision or is unaware of what’s going on around them. Bats are often thought to be blind, although they actually rely on echolocation.
Together, “mad as a hatter, blind as a bat” paints a picture of someone who is not only acting strangely or irrationally but is also unaware or oblivious to their surroundings or actions. It’s a humorous way to describe someone who is completely out of touch or disconnected from reality.
Examples of sentences that use the combined phrase “Mad As a Hatter, Blind as a Bat“
- “After hearing the news, she was mad as a hatter, blind as a bat—yelling at everyone and not even noticing how people were looking at her.”
- “He was mad as a hatter, blind as a bat, driving through traffic with no idea of what was going on around him.”
- “When I told him I couldn’t make it to the party, he got mad as a hatter, blind as a bat, calling everyone to demand answers.”
- “That guy’s always running around, mad as a hatter, blind as a bat, acting like he knows everything but missing the obvious.”
- “She was mad as a hatter, blind as a bat, frantically searching for her keys while they were in her pocket the whole time.”
Synonyms or Alternative Phrases That Convey a Similar Meaning to the Phrase, “Mad As a Hatter, Blind as a Bat“
- Out of one’s mind
- Crazy as a loon
- Off one’s rocker
- Loony as a tune
- As mad as a March hare
- Crazy as a coot
- Out of control
- Totally bonkers
- Not playing with a full deck
- Wacky as a wild goose