What does nutted mean?
'Nutted' is the past tense and past participle of the verb 'nut'. In its mechanical sense, it describes something secured with a nut, as in tightening or attaching a wheel with a threaded nut. It can also mean that the kernel of a nut or similar fruit has been removed. In informal British and Irish English, 'nutted' has a separate figurative meaning: crazily excited, enthusiastic, or behaving irrationally, especially in the expression 'go nutted'. The word is useful because it belongs to several familiar domains. It appears in practical instructions for mechanics and woodworkers, in descriptions of preparing nuts for cooking, and in colloquial accounts of spectators or performers losing their composure. The contrast between the precise mechanical sense and the exuberant informal sense gives the word a compact and memorable range.
Past tense and past participle of 'nut': to fasten with a nut, secure with threaded hardware, or remove the kernel from a nut or similar shell.
"The technician nutted the assembly in place and tightened the fittings."
The mechanical and culinary senses are standard in British and American English.
Informal, chiefly British and Irish English: crazy, irrational, or extremely enthusiastic.
"The whole audience was nutted after the surprise announcement."
This use is informal and regional; 'went completely nutted' is a particularly established pattern.
One small word carries both a workshop instruction and, in British slang, a verdict that someone has completely lost their head.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does nutted come from?
The underlying noun 'nut' comes through Middle English from Old English 'hnutu', referring both to a tree fruit with a hard shell and to a small metal fastener. The verb inherited the sense of securing a fastener with such a piece of hardware. Related forms in other languages descend from Latin 'nux' or 'nucis', meaning 'nut', which also underlies words such as 'nucleus' and 'nuclear'. The informal meaning 'crazy' developed much later in British English.
Related word forms
How nutted is actually used
The literal meanings are standard in British and American English. The sense meaning 'crazy' is informal, strongly associated with British and Irish speech, and may sound more natural in the expression 'go nutted' than as a plain description of a person.
Easily confused with nutted
'Knotted' means tied in a knot or full of knots, whereas 'nutted' means secured with a nut or, informally, acting irrationally.