English

Verb

have one's head read

1. (dated) To have the bumps, indentations, and shape of one's skull examined and interpreted by a phrenologist.
   • 1931 January 1, "Pain stays in head after $8,500 "cure"," Deseret News, p. 3 (retrieved 29 April 2013):

     He told the police that he went to a couple of "phrenologists" to have his head read with the idea of getting rid of the pain in his stomach.

   • 2005 January 26, William Grimes, "The Brain: False Assumptions and Cruel Operations," New York Times (retrieved 29 April 2013):

     In the summer of 1849, Walt Whitman walked into an office on Nassau Street in Manhattan to have his head read. Lorenzo Niles Fowler, a phrenologist, palpated 35 areas on both sides of the skull corresponding to emotional or intellectual capacities in the brain.

2. (idiomatic) To have one's mental health assessed, to receive a psychiatric examination.
   • 1957 January 30, Pete Pederson, "Spinney's Win Baffles Turf Experts," Los Angeles Times, p. C4 (retrieved 29 April 2013):

     "A guy who thinks he gets smart in this horse-race game oughta have his head read."

   • 1959 March 22, "Dear Abby: It's Bird-Bee Time," Milwaukee Sentinel, p. 4D (retrieved 29 April 2013):

     She is not crazy so don't tell me to take her to a doctor to have her head read.

   • 2010 August 16, Tony Karon, "Bush left the White House but what else has changed?," lebanonwire.com (retrieved 29 April 2013):

     Mr Gibbs says those who think Mr Obama is like George W Bush need to “have their heads read”.

Usage notes

• Usually used in this passive-voice form, although passive variants do occur, such as:

• 2010 April 19, Wayne Smith, "Quade Cooper must look at big picture before selling out," The Australian (retrieved 29 April 2013):

  Quade Cooper needs his head read if he thinks mere money will compensate him for what he would lose if he walked out on Queensland.

See also

• read someone's mind