absent-minded professor

absent-minded professor

An otherwise intelligent person who often lacks common sense or forgets or overlooks important details. Louis is brilliant, but he's such an absent-minded professor when it comes to remembering to attend important meetings.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

absent-minded professor

a bumbling professor who overlooks everyday things. Fred is such an absent-minded professor. He'd forget his head if it wasn't screwed on.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • absent-minded
  • minded
  • twitty
  • twity
  • pighead
  • pigheaded
  • inner
  • inner circle
  • elevator doesn't go to the top floor, the
  • nick ninny
References in periodicals archive
"An absent-minded professor finally figured out how not to forget his wife's birthday and their wedding anniversary.
Now stalkers use computer technology to harass, follow and sometimes kill
That was an absent-minded professor afterthought--I wanted the strength of the orange oil, the essence.
The ants go marching
FORTUNATELY, ONE RESIDENCE WAS UNLOCKED, FOR THE PROVERBIAL ABSENT-MINDED PROFESSOR, HOBART BYRNBRIGHT, AND HIS EQUALLY GEEKY DAUGHTER, CASSIOPEIA, LIVED THERE.
The taming of the flue
I saw "Pollyanna," "The Absent-Minded Professor," "Herbie The Love Bug" and many Disney classics shown for the first time during that era.
Simple Sundays
Lewis, who is also known as the "absent-minded professor" in the office, came in this morning and reported that he had misplaced his paycheck.
Missing paycheck can cause some work
Just think of the stereotype of the absent-minded professor, the brilliant mind with no understanding of the realities of life.
A good lawyer is hard to find
Such fascinating figure certainly captures the interest and imagination of myriad of writers who see him in different perspectives: mad scientist, absent-minded professor, humanist, pacifist and philosopher.
Books on Einstein--collectors' delight
Otherwise I get the feeling of being an absent-minded professor alone in his laboratory all day
YOU SAID IT ... Quotes of the week
But don't mistake him for some absent-minded professor. His focus is deliberate.
The man behind the books: 10 things you probably don't know about C.H. Wendel
Then there was Fred MacMurray, the "Absent-Minded Professor," who invented the fascinating, bouncing "flubber," but couldn't remember how he had done it.
An image problem: most chemists aren't mad. Chemicals are neither good nor bad. And the public image of chemistry is due for a make-over
With all those luminaries executing his bidding, it's impossible not to be won over by this absent-minded professor's Yoda-like passion.
The Shakespeare sessions
Mention the 0-0 draw and Strachan starts scouring the bombsite debris of his desk like an absent-minded professor.
Football: People who question whether I can do this are sitting there in a tracksuit, a devil dug by their side drinking from a can of Kestrel Says GORDON STRACHAN
* MacMurray Ranch Central Coast Pinot Noir, 2005 ($18.99)--Actor Fred MacMurray portrayed such beloved characters as Disney's classic, "The Absent-Minded Professor," and the father on the 1960s sitcom, "My Three Sons" as well as had against-type roles in "Double Indemnity" (1944), "The Caine Mutiny" (1954) and many others.
'Celebrity' wines: some are hits, some are hype
But he had always been an absent-minded professor, according to Ms.
When a mind begins to fail; Alzheimer's care available
Flubber -an energetic rubber-like substance that wreaks havoc everywhere it goes -in this smart update of The Absent-Minded Professor. Good old family fun.
The BOX: Film BOX