Liliputin-5733

Reading the writing on the wall requires a lot of off- the-wall thinking ... "
Daniel

Liliputins. What, the heck, is this?
http://stihi.ru/2025/03/08/5867

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The phrase "writing on the wall" refers to a clear indication or sign that something inevitable is about to happen, often implying imminent failure or disaster. This idiom originates from a biblical story in the Book of Daniel, where mysterious writing appeared on the wall during King Belshazzar's feast, foretelling his downfall. In modern usage, it signifies that there are clear signs that a situation is deteriorating or that failure is imminent.


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off-the-wall
adjective
 
Synonyms of off-the-wall
: highly unusual : bizarre
an off-the-wall sense of humor

Synonyms
bizarre
bizarro
cranky
crazy
curious
eccentric
erratic
far-out
funky
funny
kinky
kooky
kookie
odd
off-kilter
offbeat
out-of-the-way
outlandish
outr;
peculiar
quaint
queer
queerish
quirky
remarkable
rum [chiefly British]
screwy
spaced-out
strange
wacky
whacky
way-out
weird
weirdo
wild
Examples of off-the-wall in a Sentence
she does have some off-the-wall suggestions about home decorating
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Directed by first-timer Ben Jacobson, who also plays one of the leads, the film offers up nothing all that new under the sun, with a caper plot that’s too off-the-wall to be convincing.
—Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2025
Parker Posey is reminiscing on 25 years since her role in the 2000 film Best in Show, an off-the-wall spoof on dog shows by filmmaker Christopher Guest.
—Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 6 Mar. 2025
Scott, in real life, is known for having off-the-wall ideas, and there’s some of that in Ness.
—Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2025
Archigram Ten revisits some of the group’s more off-the-wall ideas and explorations of modular and mobile structures.
—Morgan Meier, Curbed, 12 Feb. 2025

Word History
First Known Use
1953, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of off-the-wall was in 1953
See more words from the same year

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Daniel is the main character of the Book of Daniel. According to the Hebrew Bible, Daniel was a noble Jewish youth of Jerusalem taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon, serving the king and his successors with loyalty and ability until the time of the Persian conqueror Cyrus, all the while remaining true to the God of Israel. While some conservative scholars hold that Daniel existed and his book was written in the 6th century BCE,[2][3] most scholars agree that Daniel, as depicted in the Book of Daniel, was not a historical figure, wherein the character was probably based on a similar legendary Daniel from earlier traditions. It follows that much of the book is a cryptic allusion to the reign of the 2nd century BCE Hellenistic king Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Six cities claim the Tomb of Daniel, the most famous being that in Susa, in southern Iran, at a site known as Shush-e Daniyal. He is not a prophet in Judaism, but the rabbis reckoned him to be the most distinguished member of the Babylonian diaspora, unsurpassed in piety and good deeds, firm in his adherence to the Law despite being surrounded by enemies who sought his ruin, and in the first few centuries CE they wrote down the many legends that had grown up around his name. He is considered a prophet in Christianity, and although he is not mentioned in the Quran, Muslim sources describe him as a prophet.