headless

be running around like a headless chicken

To be acting with great haste and in a careless and/or senseless manner. Before I made a list of the things that I needed to finish, I was running around like a headless chicken.
See also: around, chicken, headless, like, running

like a headless chicken

With great haste and in a careless and/or senseless manner. Instead of running around like a headless chicken, make a list of the things you need to finish and then work on them in that order.
See also: chicken, headless, like

run about like a headless chicken

To work or move with great haste and in a careless or senseless manner. Give yourself enough time before deadline so that you aren't running about like a headless chicken at the last minute. Everyone ran around like chickens with their heads cut off after the servers caught fire, until finally someone thought to cut the power and get a fire extinguisher.
See also: chicken, headless, like, run

run around like a headless chicken

Working quickly and with much activity while trying to accomplish a large number of tasks, perhaps simultaneously. Give yourself enough time before deadline so that you don't have to be running around like a headless chicken at the last minute.
See also: around, chicken, headless, like, run
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

be running around like a headless chicken

BRITISH or

be running around like a chicken with its head cut off

mainly AMERICAN
COMMON If you are running around like a headless chicken, you are behaving or moving in an uncontrolled or disorganized way, and not thinking calmly or logically. Instead of running round like a headless chicken, try to use your efforts in a more productive way. They were all running around like chickens with their heads cut off — they didn't know where to go, where to sit, or who to talk to. Note: You can also describe people as being like headless chickens. After the other team scored, we started playing like headless chickens. Note: Chickens have been known to run around for a short time after they have had their heads cut off.
See also: around, chicken, headless, like, running
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

running (or rushing) about like a headless chicken

acting in a panic-stricken manner and not thinking clearly about what should be done.
A decapitated chicken may continue to flap about for a few moments before finally expiring.
See also: chicken, headless, like, running
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

run around like a ˌheadless ˈchicken

be very busy and active trying to do something, but not very organized, with the result that you do not succeed: What a day! I’ve been running around like a headless chicken all day!
After a chicken’s head is cut off its body may continue to move for a few moments.
See also: around, chicken, headless, like, run
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • be running around like a headless chicken
  • like a headless chicken
  • like a chicken with its head cut off
  • run about like a headless chicken
  • running about like a headless chicken
  • be in great haste
  • haste
  • rush through
References in periodicals archive
Separately, two security sources said four headless bodies were found in an empty street in the North Sinai town of Bir al-Abd on Wednesday.
Two Killed In Suicide Bombing In Egypt's North Sinai
On the heels of the recently announced Sauce Performance, the acquisition of Screener and availability of Sauce Headless further establishes Sauce Labs as the provider of solutions to help developers shift both functional and non-functional testing as far left as possible.
Sauce Labs Accelerates Shift-Left Testing with Acquisition of Screener
The Pakistan Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (Piera), which regulates the capital's rapidly growing private education sector, has also been headless for years.
FDE, Piera headless for years
Police then found his headless body from a barren field around three days ago.
Body of matric student found in Haripur
The image of the Maria Auxiliadora de Marawi became headless following the attack of the Maute terrorist group in Marawi last year.
Headless Marian image to be put on display at UST
Her eerie footage showed the apparently headless man walking along the pavement with a walking stick in one hand and a bag in the other.
Family get Halloween fright as they spot 'headless' man walking down street; Ginette Lees and her children were stunned by the sight in Chesterfield, Derbyshire
We saw significant advantages in separating content creation from code development activities, and that's what led to exploring the benefits of using a headless CMS."
ECM--more options for efficient processes and better digital experiences
A headless, decomposed body of an unidentified man was found under a pile of garbage in a drain in Lorong Perindustrian Bukit Minyak 19, Bukit Tengah here yesterday.
Headless body of man found in Bukit Tengah
She sees a "need for flexibility, versatility in WCM deployments." And that seems to have culminated in a drive toward headless CMS solutions."
The State of WCM
The grounds of the pub which dates back to at least 1610 are also said to be home to Old Leathery Coit a headless ghost in a battered leather coat that takes up a seat on a carriage pulled by headless horses.
Fleece Inn ready to be a spooky TV star
IT seems every parish in the country has a headless horseman: a ghoul who gallops along deserted country lanes at the dead of night.
Death rides a horse; Headless Horseman terrorising Midlands moorlands since Victorian times
DNA tests on a headless torso found in the Baltic Sea matched missing journalist Kim Wall, police said yesterday.
TORSO DNA MATCH; Body found in Baltic is sub mystery reporter
The Headless Gladiators of York: Ancient Mysteries C5, 8pm In 2004, archaeologists made a macabre discovery while excavating a plot of land - they uncovered the remains of over 80 battle-scarred, headless skeletons.
FRIDAY
Also read: Headless body found in Dubai | Headless woman mystery solved
Mystery of dead woman in plastic bag in UAE solved
Sammy and the Headless Horseman is a ghostly mystery novel for young adults, perfect for the Halloween season.
Sammy and the Headless Horseman