nut
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The head, in pugilistic slang. Used as an exclamation at a fight, it means to strike on the head. In tossing it is a direction to hide the head; to be "off one’s NUT," to be crazed or idiotic.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “nut” mean?
The head, in pugilistic slang. Used as an exclamation at a fight, it means to strike on the head. In tossing it is a direction to hide the head; to be "off one’s NUT," to be crazed or idiotic.
Is “nut” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.