crate shy of a load

noun

A gullible simpleton.

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Meanings

nouncrate shy of a load (plural not attested)
  1. no pluralrareA gullible simpleton.

Origin

From the common saying "one X short of Y", meaning not living up to what is normal or expected. Compare one fry short of a Happy Meal.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

crate shy of a load. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crate%20shy%20of%20a%20load

MLA

“crate shy of a load.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crate%20shy%20of%20a%20load. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “crate shy of a load,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crate%20shy%20of%20a%20load.

Source: crate shy of a load on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.