phrase
General Slang
the porch light's on but nobody's home
thuh PORCH LYTES on but NO-bod-eez HOME · phrase · informal
Not very bright; slow-witted.
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Definitions
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Describes someone who seems normal outwardly but is not too sharp.
“Nice fella, but the porch light's on and nobody's home.”
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the porch light's on but nobody's home In A Sentence
Nice fella, but the porch light's on and nobody's home.
Origin & Usage
Southern comedic idiom likening an empty-seeming mind to a lit but unoccupied house.
Variants
lights are on but nobody's home
People Also Ask
What does "the porch light's on but nobody's home" mean?
It's a comedic way of saying someone looks normal but isn't very bright or is slow-witted.
Is it an insult?
Yes, it's a gentle insult about someone's intelligence, usually said humorously.
How do you use it?
Describe someone not too sharp, e.g. "Nice fella, but the porch light's on and nobody's home."
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