A couple fries short of a Happy Meal

Question

Lorenzo used this phrase in a post, and I thought it would be fun to list others like it in English and/or in Spanish. The phrase is meant to sarcastically say that the person isn't the smartest person in the room.

Here's another to get things going:

He isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer.

• A happy meal but no box. - ian-hill Dec 3, 2010
• Good topic :) - bomberapolac Dec 5, 2010

Answer 1

The lights are on, but nobody's home.

• my choice - patch Dec 3, 2010

Answer 2

¡Cuando Dios hizo llover cerebros ocupó un paraguas!

( When God rained brains he held an umbrella! )

• Bravo! Must remember this one! - Pibosan Dec 3, 2010

Answer 3

He's knitting with one needle.

He's not firing on all cylinders.

He's not the brightest light in the harbor.

He's about as sharp as a marble.

• I think the only time I've heard something close to 'he's knitting with one needle' was in that Queen song, 'I'm Going Slightly Mad' - bill1111 Dec 3, 2010

Answer 4

Some of these sayings I've never heard before. I usually say "A sandwich short of a picnic" or "Not the sharpest tool in the box". And of course, "the lights are on, but nobody's home".

This is useful. I think I ought to look it up in other languages..

Answer 5

When god handed out brains he was absent that day.

He has a room temperature IQ.

Answer 6

His elevator doesn't go all the way to the top.
He's not playing with a full deck.

Answer 7

He is the brightest crayon in the box.

• He is not etc etc - Eddy Feb 26, 2011

Answer 8

El fiambre más vivaracho de la morgue.

• He's not the liveliest corpse in the morgue? I love that! - Leatha Dec 3, 2010

Answer 9

He's a few bricks shy of a load.

Answer 10

Not the sharpest tool in the box.

A pencil with no lead in it.

Answer 11

That kind of sayings or expressions isn't popular in Spanish, but we have others:

• 'le falta un hervor' (he's not yet fully cooked)
• 'el día que repartieron cerebros estaba en el baño' (On the day they were giving out brains, he was in the bathroom) (and its different variations)
• 'es más tonto y no nace' (more or less: if he were a little dumber, he would not have found his way out of his mother)
• 'es más tonto que Abundio, que vendió el coche para comprar gasolina' (he's dumber than Abundio, who sold his car to get money for gas'
  • and finally, the very popular 'no eres más tonto porque no entrenas' (you aren't even dumber, because you are not actually training for it'

• Small correction para tí, Bill: Those kinds...aren't popular... - webdunce Dec 3, 2010
• Those kinds - Eddy Feb 26, 2011

Answer 12

As thick (stupid) as two short planks.

• Good one! - patch Dec 3, 2010

Answer 13

She doesn't have both oars in the water!

Answer 14

A couple beers short of a six pack.

Answer 15

Not the brightest bulb in the chandelier.