have a screw loose—(coll.) be mentally defective or not acting normally:
- I don’t go much with anarchists. It’s my judgment they nearly always have a screw loose.
there is a screw loose —(coll.) there is smth. wrong in the condition of things:
- Now this may come into court, you know. If there is a screw loose anywhere, better mention it.
Note: Neither expression is antonymous in meaning to the phrase tighten up screws—
1. suppress or “clamp down” on dissenters, etc.:
- The president is using Russo-American rapprochement as a smokescreen for tightening up screws at home.
2. apply pressure; make smth. subject to more severe control:
- Dellinger believed the victory was a result of his team tightening up screws on defense.