Plumb Crazy
In Southern and Appalachian speech, "Plumb Crazy" means completely crazy, wild, or irrational - a colorful intensifier phrase built from the regional word "plumb."
#SouthernSayings #Appalachia #PeopleandRelationships #DialectandGrammar #Southern #ScoldingandTeasing #Euphemisms
Hillbilly Dude Says...
'Plumb crazy' is one I've heard all my life. And people still use it in everday speech. Hillbilly Dude Says...
'Plumb crazy' is one I've heard all my life. And people still use it in everday speech. Pronunciation
[PLUM CRA-zy] /plʌm ˈkreɪzi/
Meaning & Usage
- Completely crazy or irrational (intensified adjective)
Mae:
He tried to ride that bull with no saddle.
He tried to ride that bull with no saddle.
Earl:
That’s plumb crazy.
That’s plumb crazy.variations: Flat-Out Crazy, Stone Crazy, Crazy as a Loon, Plumb Out of His Mind
★ The power of "plumb" as an intensifier turns "crazy" into a vivid description. Rural Southerners and Appalachians have used "plumb crazy" for generations to describe someone acting wild or foolish. ★
Origin and Etymology
Built from the regional intensifier "plumb" + "crazy." This phrase reflects older English usage of "plumb" for "completely," kept alive in Southern/Appalachian speech.
Usage Notes
Still widely heard in rural and small-town Southern/Appalachian speech. Outside the region it sounds quaint or humorous but conveys the same meaning.
Say It Like a Southerner
Say it natural: "plumb crazy" - rhymes with "thumb crazy," with "plumb" pronounced like "plum."
Kin Topics
Related Pages
How to Cite This Page
- APA (7th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, September 22). Plumb Crazy. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/plumb-crazy
- MLA (9th edition)"The Hillbilly Dude." "Plumb Crazy." HillbillySlang.com, 22 Sept. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/plumb-crazy.
- Chicago (17th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. "Plumb Crazy." HillbillySlang.com. September 22, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/plumb-crazy.
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