examine

to question someone in court who has already been questioned by the opposing side; to question a suspect or a witness at great length. The lawyer plans to cross-examine the witness tomorrow morning. The police cross-examined the suspect for three hours.

to give someone an examination in a particular subject or covering certain material. The committee examined her in her knowledge of history. I was examined in math.

to give someone an examination covering certain material. I will have to examine you on this chapter myself. The teacher examined Larry on his understanding of phonetics.

to inspect someone or something for the presence of something. I examined the child for signs of abuse. You had better examine this dog for ticks. Don't forget to examine yourself for ticks after you return from the hike.

you have done something that will make others think you stupid or strange Anyone who pays that much for a pair of jeans needs to have her head examined.

if you tell someone they need their head testing, you think that they are crazy because they have done something stupid or strange You need your head examined if you're willing to spend ￡120 on a pair of jeans.

Also, have one's head examined. One is crazy or absolutely wrong. For example, You like this food? Go get your head examined, or If you believe that story, you should have your head examined. This hyperbolic and usually jocular expression of disagreement may, thought Eric Partridge, allude to the now discredited field of phrenology, which holds that the configurations of the skull reveal mental and emotional characteristics. [Early 1900s]