doolally tap

alternative doolally-tap

1. uncountableCamp fever; by extension, madness, eccentricity.

   It would probably give Mrs Doughty an attack of the Doolally-tap.

   2008, Amitav Ghosh, Sea of Poppies

   3 more examples

   Mrrhhhh, nothing wrong with me, sergeant, it's just the old Doolally Tap.

   1971, Brian Aldiss, A Soldier Erect

   'The Doolally tap,' my father would say, mysteriously, and McAllister would agree.

   1994, Maurice Hayes, Seamus Heaney, Sweet Killough: Let Go Your Anchor

   'He's got the doolally-taps,' she'd heard Bob say when they mentioned him, and he usually rolled his eyes and tapped his temple when he said it even though he didn't speak unkindly.

   2009, Annie Murray, A Hopscotch Summer

comparative more doolally tap · superlative most doolally tap · alternative doolally-tap

1. UKMad, insane, eccentric.

   Going a bit doolally-tap, if you ask me. Getting odd ideas.

   1985, John E. Gardner, The Secret Generations, page 294

   4 more examples

   The whole family think I've gone doolally-tap; all except Mick, that is.

   1993, Catherine Cookson, My Beloved Son, page 355

   Most thought that the prison sentence had sent me doolally tap.

   1994, Julia Grant, Just Julia: The Story of an Extraordinary Woman, page 198

   Madam has gone quite definitely doolally tap, if you'll pardon the rather common expression.

   1996, Erin Pizzey, Kisses, page 277

   If he had not paid her phone bills she would have gone doolally tap, as her mother used to say, without a friendly voice now and then.

   2007, Martina Cole, Faces, unnumbered page