not able to make head or tail (out) of (something)
not able to make head or tail (out) of (something)
Failing or unable to understand, decipher, or make sense (of something) in the slightest. We tried identifying the hieroglyphs on the ancient tablet, but they were so archaic that we weren't able to make head or tail of it. See if you can figure out what this contract is saying—I wasn't able to make head or tail out of all that legal mumbo jumbo.
See also: able, head, make, not, of, tail
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
not able to make head or tail of something
Fig. not able to understand something at all. I couldn't make head or tail of the professor's geology lecture this morning. Can you help me fill out my tax forms? I can't make head or tail of the instructions.
See also: able, head, make, not, of, tail
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
- not able to make head nor tail (out) of (something)
- not able to make head or tail of
- can't make heads nor tails of (someone or something)
- not able to make heads nor tails (out) of (something)
- not able to make heads or tails (out) of (something)
- not able to make anything out
- not able to make anything out (of something)
- can't make anything out (of something)
- be another of life's great mysteries
- an open book