use one's noggin
Apply your brain
To use one's noggin is to think, especially to apply common sense or practical intelligence to a problem.
Noggin is informal for head, so the phrase suggests engaging the brain rather than acting thoughtlessly: Use your noggin—there's got to be an easier way to do this.
Often appears as an encouragement or mild rebuke.
- solveFind the answer
- thinkProcess with the mind
- decideReach a conclusion
- common senseNative practical judgment
- deduceReach by reasoning
analyze · mental gymnastics · wise up · gray matter · reason · think it through · troubleshoot · puzzle out · head scratcher · brainstorm · think tank · innovate · infer · strategize · contemplate · plan · organize · prioritize
use one's noggingo off half-cocked
Proceed without adequate preparation
shoot from the hip · lose one's head · take leave of one's senses · fly by the seat of one's pants · throw caution to the wind