run around like a headless chicken

[kilroy65]

Is this simile still in use today? To my great relief, I haven't heard it for years. I find it quite sickening (bad childhood memories).

 

[emsr2d2]

I use it regularly.

 

[probus]

I haven't heard it in years either. I suspect it is fading from use as "factory farming" of chickens continues to increase. In my region some people are willing to pay substantially more for free-range chickens and eggs. Their reasons are ethical: they feel that most chicken is produced inhumanely.

 

[Tdol]

I hear it used and use it, so it may be more common in the UK.

 

[Skrej]

It's still fairly common in at least some parts of the US. You sometimes hear the slightly wordier version of 'running around like a chicken with its head cut off'.

 

[GoesStation]

It's still fairly common in at least some parts of the US. You sometimes hear the slightly wordier version of 'running around like a chicken with its head cut off'.

That's the version I'm used to.

 

[Tarheel]

It's still fairly common in at least some parts of the US. You sometimes hear the slightly wordier version of 'running around like a chicken with its head cut off'.

I've seen that happen. It's rather entertaining.

 

[emsr2d2]

I've seen that happen. It's rather entertaining.

Not for the chicken.

 

[Tdol]

That's the version I'm used to.

I haven't heard that version. We use the less verbose one in the UK as far as I know.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Is this simile still in use today? To my great relief, I haven't heard it for years. I find it quite sickening (bad childhood memories).

I've never heard "like a headless chicken," so that must be the British version. I agree with Tarheel and Goes. Everywhere in the US I've lived, the expression is "like a chicken with its head cut off."

Yes, it's still used, and yes, the word "like" signals a simile.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I use it regularly.

I highly endorse early retirement.