Ц-10

БЕЗ ЦАРЯ В ГОЛОВЕ coll PrepP Invar usu. subj compl with бытье (subj. human), pres or past , or nonagreeing postmodif fixed WO

one is very dull-witted, foolish

X без царя в голове - X has no brains

X has nothing upstairs X doesn't have a brain in his head

(when used as nonagreeing postmodif ) a person (a man, a woman) with nothing upstairs.

«Ты, Митек, известно, без царя в голове, молотишь, что ни попадя...» (Максимов 2а). "Mitya, we know you haven't any brains and you don't often hit the nail on the head. " (2a).

Хлестаков, молодой человек лет 23-х, тоненький, худенький несколько приглуповат и, как говорят, без царя в голове (Гоголь 4). Khlestakov, a young man, about twenty-three, slim, slender, a bit silly, and, as they say, with nothing upstairs (4a).