not have both oars in the water
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
To be crazy.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “not have both oars in the water” mean?
To be crazy.
Is “not have both oars in the water” formal or informal?
not have both oars in the water is generally slang.