use one's head
Apply your intellect
To use one's head is to think carefully or exercise good judgment: Use your head—you can't fit a couch through that window.
The phrase often appears as advice or mild reproach when someone has failed to consider the obvious.
Sometimes intensified: use your goddamn head.
Determine through reasoning
- work outExercise or solve
- puzzle outSolve by reasoning
- deduceReach by reasoning
- reason outSolve through logical thinking
piece together · crack · unravel · decipher · fathom · sort out · disentangle · untangle
Deliberate before acting
- be carefulExercise caution and prudence
- stay alertMaintain active awareness
- play it safeAvoid unnecessary chances
- think aheadPlan for future events
Select from alternatives
- determineEstablish through investigation
- judgeOne who decides
- concludeEnd or infer
- resolveFirmness of purpose
select · opt · commit · settle · prefer · weigh options · finalize · discriminate
Think deeply about
- contemplateConsider something thoroughly
- reflectReturn light or thought
- reasonBasis or justification
- analyzeStudy by breaking down
consider · deliberate · muse · ruminate · cogitate · brainstorm · evaluate · assess
figure out
Determine through reasoning
- work outExercise or solve
- puzzle outSolve by reasoning
- deduceReach by reasoning
reason out · piece together · crack · unravel · decipher · fathom · sort out · disentangle · untangle · sift
think twice
Deliberate before acting
- be carefulExercise caution and prudence
- stay alertMaintain active awareness
- play it safeAvoid unnecessary chances
choose
Select from alternatives
resolve · select · opt · commit · settle · prefer · weigh options · finalize · discriminate · elect
ponder
Think deeply about
- contemplateConsider something thoroughly
- reflectReturn light or thought
- reasonBasis or justification
analyze · consider · deliberate · muse · ruminate · cogitate · brainstorm · evaluate · assess · speculate
use one's headshoot from the hip
Act or speak impulsively
lose one's head · fly off the handle · jump the gun · go off half-cocked · fly by the seat of one's pants
uses, used, user, users, usable, unusable, useless, useful, usefulness