Have you ever heard someone say, “He’s a tough nut to crack”? Or maybe, “She’s gone nuts!” These are idioms, and they don’t really mean someone is made of nuts or eating them. Instead, idioms use words in fun ways to express ideas. In this article, we’ll look at phrases that include the word “nuts” and learn what they really mean.
“Nuts” idioms are used in many funny and clever ways. Some talk about being silly or acting strange. Others can mean being very excited or even determined. These expressions are part of everyday English, especially in the U.S., and they help make conversations more lively. Let’s explore these 28 idioms and find out what each one means, where it came from, and how to use it.
Idioms About Nuts
1. Go nuts
Meaning: To become very excited or act wildly.
Example Sentence:
• The kids went nuts when the ice cream truck came.
• My dog goes nuts every time the doorbell rings.
Other ways to say: Go wild, get crazy
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom likely came from the idea of nuts being unpredictable when cracked open.
Usage: Used when someone is acting very excited or loud.
2. A tough nut to crack
Meaning: A person or problem that is hard to understand or solve.
Example Sentence:
• That math problem was a tough nut to crack.
• Grandpa is a tough nut to crack—he doesn’t show his feelings easily.
Other ways to say: Hard to solve, difficult person
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea that some nuts, like walnuts, are hard to open.
Usage: Used when talking about someone or something that is difficult.
3. Nuts about (someone or something)
Meaning: To like someone or something very much.
Example Sentence:
• She’s nuts about her puppy.
• He’s nuts about video games.
Other ways to say: Crazy for, loves
Fun Fact/Origin: “Nuts” was slang for “crazy” since the 1800s, later used to show strong feelings.
Usage: Used when someone really enjoys or loves something.
4. From soup to nuts
Meaning: From beginning to end.
Example Sentence:
• We planned the party from soup to nuts.
• The book covers history from soup to nuts.
Other ways to say: Start to finish, the whole thing
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from full-course meals where soup is the first dish and nuts are the last.
Usage: Used when explaining something that includes everything.
5. Drive someone nuts
Meaning: To annoy or bother someone a lot.
Example Sentence:
• The buzzing fly was driving me nuts.
• My little brother drives me nuts when he sings all day.
Other ways to say: Annoy, get on someone’s nerves
Fun Fact/Origin: “Nuts” as a word for crazy helped create this idiom.
Usage: Used when something is very annoying.
6. Nuts and bolts
Meaning: The basic parts or details of something.
Example Sentence:
• Let’s go over the nuts and bolts of the science project.
• He knows the nuts and bolts of how the car works.
Other ways to say: Basics, important parts
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from actual nuts and bolts used in machines.
Usage: Used when talking about the important parts of something.
7. Be off one’s nut
Meaning: To be acting strangely or foolishly.
Example Sentence:
• He must be off his nut to ride a bike in a thunderstorm.
• She’s off her nut if she thinks that cat can babysit.
Other ways to say: Not thinking clearly, acting silly
Fun Fact/Origin: “Nut” once meant “head,” so being off your nut meant not using your head.
Usage: Used when someone is doing something strange.
8. A hard nut to crack
Meaning: Similar to “tough nut to crack,” often used for difficult tasks.
Example Sentence:
• That puzzle was a hard nut to crack.
• Some riddles are just hard nuts to crack.
Other ways to say: Difficult task, tricky problem
Fun Fact/Origin: Like the earlier idiom, based on tough nuts.
Usage: Used for challenges that take effort to solve.
9. Be nuts
Meaning: To be crazy or foolish.
Example Sentence:
• You’re nuts if you think I’ll eat a bug!
• He’s nuts to go outside without a coat in the snow.
Other ways to say: Crazy, not thinking clearly
Fun Fact/Origin: “Nuts” was used as a slang term for crazy in World War I.
Usage: Used when someone is doing something silly or strange.
10. Nutty as a fruitcake
Meaning: Very silly or strange.
Example Sentence:
• That guy who talks to his plants is nutty as a fruitcake.
• My aunt wears hats made of yarn—she’s nutty as a fruitcake.
Other ways to say: Very odd, weird
Fun Fact/Origin: Fruitcake is full of nuts, so the phrase compares people to it.
Usage: Used to describe someone acting in a very unusual way.
11. A nutcase
Meaning: Someone who acts very strange or wild.
Example Sentence:
• That guy dancing in the street is a nutcase.
• He’s acting like a nutcase during the game.
Other ways to say: Weirdo, oddball
Fun Fact/Origin: Slang combining “nut” (crazy) and “case” (person).
Usage: Used to describe someone acting very oddly.
12. Cracking the nut
Meaning: Solving a hard problem or task.
Example Sentence:
• We finally cracked the nut and fixed the machine.
• It took hours, but I cracked the nut and passed the level.
Other ways to say: Solve it, figure it out
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the effort of breaking tough nuts.
Usage: Used when solving something difficult.
13. The nut of the matter
Meaning: The most important part.
Example Sentence:
• The nut of the matter is that we need more time.
• Let’s get to the nut of the matter and stop talking in circles.
Other ways to say: The main point, the heart of it
Fun Fact/Origin: The “nut” is the core or important part, like in a shell.
Usage: Used to point out the key idea.
14. Nuts and seeds
Meaning: Very small parts that are important for growth or ideas.
Example Sentence:
• These early thoughts are just the nuts and seeds of our plan.
• The school project started with nuts and seeds of ideas.
Other ways to say: Beginnings, early pieces
Fun Fact/Origin: Seeds grow into plants, so this idiom means starting points.
Usage: Used for starting ideas or plans.
15. For peanuts
Meaning: For very little money.
Example Sentence:
• He works all day for peanuts.
• That toy costs peanuts now—it used to be expensive!
Other ways to say: For cheap, almost free
Fun Fact/Origin: Peanuts are small and not worth much money, leading to this phrase.
Usage: Used when something is very cheap.
16. A nut job
Meaning: A person who acts in a very strange or silly way.
Example Sentence:
• He ran around the house in a superhero cape—what a nut job!
• That nut job yelled at a mailbox.
Other ways to say: Wacky person, goofball
Fun Fact/Origin: Similar to “nutcase,” combining “nut” (crazy) and “job” (person).
Usage: Used to describe someone behaving unusually.
17. Nutty
Meaning: Silly or not normal.
Example Sentence:
• That’s a nutty idea—let’s not build a rocket in the yard.
• She wore socks on her hands—pretty nutty!
Other ways to say: Silly, odd
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the slang use of “nut” to mean strange.
Usage: Used to describe behavior or ideas that are silly.
18. Cracked
Meaning: Slightly crazy or unusual.
Example Sentence:
• He’s cracked if he thinks he can jump that far.
• My cracked uncle collects rubber bands.
Other ways to say: Not all there, off
Fun Fact/Origin: “Cracked” refers to something broken—like a cracked mind.
Usage: Used when someone isn’t acting right.
19. The whole nut
Meaning: Everything included.
Example Sentence:
• We bought the whole nut—car, warranty, and extras.
• She wants the whole nut, not just the basics.
Other ways to say: The full deal, all of it
Fun Fact/Origin: Refers to getting the whole part, not just a piece.
Usage: Used when someone wants or gets everything.
20. In a nutshell
Meaning: To say something briefly.
Example Sentence:
• In a nutshell, we’re moving to Texas.
• In a nutshell, the movie was too long.
Other ways to say: In short, briefly
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from trying to fit something small into a nutshell.
Usage: Used before giving a short explanation.
21. Save your nuts
Meaning: To save money or resources for later.
Example Sentence:
• I’m saving my nuts for college.
• He saved his nuts all summer to buy a bike.
Other ways to say: Save up, keep for later
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from squirrels saving nuts for winter.
Usage: Used when someone is being careful with money.
22. Crack a nut with a sledgehammer
Meaning: To use more force than needed for something small.
Example Sentence:
• Calling the police for a noise complaint is like cracking a nut with a sledgehammer.
• Don’t write a 10-page report for a two-question quiz—it’s cracking a nut with a sledgehammer.
Other ways to say: Overdo it, too much effort
Fun Fact/Origin: This shows using too much power for something easy.
Usage: Used to talk about doing too much for a small task.
23. Nut up
Meaning: To be brave or deal with something tough.
Example Sentence:
• You have to nut up and talk to the teacher.
• I’m going to nut up and tell the truth.
Other ways to say: Be brave, face it
Fun Fact/Origin: Slang phrase used for encouraging courage.
Usage: Used when someone needs to be strong or take action.
24. A nutty professor
Meaning: A very smart person who acts oddly.
Example Sentence:
• My science teacher is a nutty professor—he wears two watches!
• He’s a genius but such a nutty professor.
Other ways to say: Eccentric genius, odd thinker
Fun Fact/Origin: Made popular by a movie character with the same name.
Usage: Used to describe smart people with odd habits.
25. Nuts over something
Meaning: Really excited or crazy about something.
Example Sentence:
• The kids are nuts over dinosaurs right now.
• She’s nuts over that new song.
Other ways to say: Obsessed with, can’t stop loving
Fun Fact/Origin: A twist on “nuts about.”
Usage: Used to show strong liking.
26. Nut house
Meaning: A place where people act wild or crazy.
Example Sentence:
• It’s a nut house in the gym during dodgeball.
• The classroom turned into a nut house after recess.
Other ways to say: Crazy place, loud place
Fun Fact/Origin: “Nut house” is old slang for a mental hospital, now used playfully.
Usage: Used to describe wild or noisy places.
27. Squirrel away your nuts
Meaning: To save things for later use.
Example Sentence:
• She squirrels away her nuts—she already has money for next year’s trip.
• I squirrel away my Halloween candy for months.
Other ways to say: Save, store
Fun Fact/Origin: Inspired by how squirrels hide nuts for winter.
Usage: Used when someone saves things bit by bit.
28. As nutty as a squirrel’s lunch
Meaning: Very strange or silly.
Example Sentence:
• That outfit is as nutty as a squirrel’s lunch.
• The idea of eating pizza with peanut butter is as nutty as a squirrel’s lunch.
Other ways to say: Very odd, super silly
Fun Fact/Origin: A playful phrase that compares weird things to what squirrels eat.
Usage: Used to describe things that are unusually silly or strange.
Quiz: Idioms About Nuts
Instructions: Read each question and the answer choices carefully. Pick the letter that best matches the meaning of the phrase or expression.
Question Key
1. What does “go nuts” mean?
A) Eat a lot of nuts
B) Get very excited or wild
C) Be super quiet
2. If someone is a “tough nut to crack,” what are they like?
A) Easy to understand
B) A good cook
C) Hard to understand or solve
3. What does it mean if you are “nuts about” something?
A) You really like it
B) You are tired of it
C) You want to avoid it
4. If something is explained “in a nutshell,” what does that mean?
A) Using too many details
B) Explained quickly and simply
C) Telling a long story
5. What does “drive someone nuts” mean?
A) Take them somewhere
B) Give them nuts
C) Annoy them a lot
6. What does “nuts and bolts” mean?
A) A snack
B) The basic parts of something
C) Toys
7. If you “crack a nut with a sledgehammer,” what are you doing?
A) Using too much force for a small job
B) Being careful
C) Eating loudly
8. What does “nutty as a fruitcake” mean?
A) Someone likes fruit
B) Very silly or strange
C) A person who eats a lot
9. What does it mean to “squirrel away your nuts”?
A) Lose your snacks
B) Save things for later
C) Forget where things are
10. What does “the nut of the matter” mean?
A) A kind of snack
B) A hard question
C) The most important part
Answer Key
- B) Get very excited or wild
- C) Hard to understand or solve
- A) You really like it
- B) Explained quickly and simply
- C) Annoy them a lot
- B) The basic parts of something
- A) Using too much force for a small job
- B) Very silly or strange
- B) Save things for later
- C) The most important part
Wrapping Up
Idioms with “nuts” can sound funny, but they help us say things in a short and interesting way. Whether you’re describing someone acting silly, talking about saving money, or explaining something quickly, these expressions come in handy. They’re used often in the U.S. and help make language more colorful.
Now that you’ve learned 28 idioms about nuts, try using them when you speak or write. It’s a fun way to practice and make your English stronger. Keep an ear out—you’ll start noticing them in books, shows, and even at school.
