Meaning
Distracted from reality, lost in a dream world or behaving as though unaware of what is happening. Usually teasing when it means absent-minded. In contexts implying mental illness it can be dismissive or hurtful. Regional use: Especially Irish English; also British and Australian English.
Origin
The expression is documented in Irish English by 1907. It draws on older Irish and British traditions in which fairies could carry a person away or leave someone altered. The modern figurative meaning developed from that supernatural image rather than from a known single tale.
Research Sources
References used to check this entry’s meaning, history, or documented forms.
Variants
- Be away with the fairies
- Gone away with the fairies
- Off with the fairies
Usage Examples
- I asked Liam twice, but he was away with the fairies and heard neither question.
- Her schedule assumes we can cross the city in five minutes; she is away with the fairies.