There is dead silence in the lecture hall, everyone is concentrating on the exam ahead of them. You too are attentive at work; Well prepared, after all, you've been studying for weeks. Then the next question and – you can’t think of the solution. A few minutes ago you knew it, but now you have a board in your head .
In what context do you use the phrase?
If someone has "a board in front of their head", then they can't think of something - usually something completely obvious, for example names of close relatives, street names that you read every day, etc. The phrase is used to describe a blackout ("I have "There's a board in front of your head right now") or someone is mockingly described as slow-witted ("You might have a board in your head").
How did the phrase come about?
The expression did not always refer to people: it originally came from livestock farming. A board was hung directly in front of the eyes of stubborn oxen so that farmers could easily work with them. For example, the method meant that the oxen were not frightened when a harness was put on them.
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We'll tell you where the expression "having a board in front of your head" comes from and in what context it is used.
