- Home
- Idioms
- fairy
fairy
away with the fairies
A bit crazy. I can't follow what your mom is talking about—it's like she's away with the fairies all of a sudden.
fairy godmother
1. In children's fairy tales, a woman with magical powers who appears in order to help others in their time of need. Cinderella's fairy godmother helped her get ready for the ball so she could meet Prince Charming.
2. Someone who helps others with their problems, usually providing financial assistance. Thank you so much for helping me with my car repair bill! You are my fairy godmother.
be away with the fairies
To be a bit crazy. I can't follow what your mom is talking about—it's like she's away with the fairies all of a sudden.
fairy godmother
someone who helps you solve your problems These children, sent to school without lunch or lunch money and sometimes without shoes, were in need of a fairy godmother. If a fairy godmother offered most editors a single wish, it would probably be the ability to predict sales.
Etymology: based on a character in a fairy tale (traditional story) who uses magic to help people
airy-fairy
(British informal) not practical or not useful in real situations She's talking about selling her house and buying an old castle in Ireland. It all sounds a bit airy-fairy to me.
be away with the fairies
(humorous) to be slightly mad It's no good asking her to look after the children - she's away with the fairies most of the time.
a fairy godmother
someone who helps you solve your problems, usually by giving you money
Usage notes: In children's stories, a fairy godmother is a woman with magic powers who helps someone who is in trouble.
A local company acted as fairy godmother to the theatre by giving a ￡1 million donation. fairy godmother
A generous benefactor, as in An anonymous fairy godmother donated the money for the new organ. This expression alludes to a stock character in fairy tales such as Cinderella, who gives unexpected and much needed assistance. [Late 1800s]
tooth fairy
A mythical source of bounty, as in So who will finance this venture-the tooth fairy? This expression refers to the fairy credited with leaving money under a child's pillow in place of a baby tooth that has fallen out, a practice popular with American parents since the first half of the 1900s.
airy-fairy
mod. insubstantial; of wishful thinking. I don’t care to hear any more of your airy-fairy ideas.
fairy
n. a male homosexual. (Rude and derogatory.) Bob got fired for calling Bill a fairy.
fairy tale
and bedtime story n. a simplistic and condescending explanation for something; a lie. I don’t want to hear a fairy tale, just the facts, ma’am. I’ve already heard your little bedtime story. You’ll have to do better than that!