What it means
Means a bit mad, dopey, or delightfully eccentric. If someone’s loopy, they’re not dangerous, they’re just on their own odd wavelength, doing harmless chaotic bits that make you laugh. It can also mean you’re spaced out, lightheaded, or away with the fairies after no sleep, too much caffeine, or a dodgy cold. Usually affectionate, not judgemental, even if they’re chatting rubbish.
Usage examples
"She’s made a seating plan for her cats and called the ginger one Chairperson. I told her that’s proper loopy, and she goes, yeah, but attendance is purrfect, innit"
"After two nights of no sleep I went proper loopy and put the milk in the cupboard and the mug in the fridge."
"He has these loopy schemes every summer, this year it's building a hot tub out of straw bales."
Where it comes from
The picture is something going round and round in loops instead of running straight, a mind that has come off the rails and keeps circling. From the plain loop, loopy came to mean pleasantly off-kilter, the harmless kind of mad that makes people grin rather than worry.
Other ways to say it
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