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# the lights are on but nobody's home

phrase (idiom, a whole sentence; also «the lights are on but no one's home»)

«the lights are on but nobody's home» in the English dictionary: in the primary school — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## In the primary school

Source: Mova's pupils' dictionary. Licence: [Elamur Cosmic License](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/LICENSE/). Reviewed: the dictionary the pupils of Mova's primary school read; its examples quote the lessons and public-domain tales. Ships with Mova.

### Meaning

1. (euphemism, humorous) someone is stupid, or not paying attention at all; they look awake but nothing is going on in their mind.
2. (literal) a house with lit windows but no people in it.

### In the lessons

A jokey way to call someone dim or dreamy without the plain insult; used in gossip, sitcoms and teasing in all English-speaking countries. Can be about a moment («I was so tired, the lights were on but nobody was home») or about a person's whole mind (unkind).

### Examples

- (teasing) I asked him three times — the lights are on but nobody's home.
- (chat) monday morning: lights on, nobody home
- (about oneself) Sorry, I didn't sleep — the lights are on but nobody's home today.
- (gossip) Nice lad, but the lights are on and nobody's home.
- (teacher, kindly) Earth to Sam! The lights are on but nobody's home.
- (literal) The lights were on, but nobody was home, so the neighbours worried.
- (story) The burglar saw that the lights were on but nobody was home.

### Note

Trap: may be literal in a story about a house. Said of a person it is an insult, even if funny; fine about yourself, unkind about others. The verb changes in the past: «the lights were on but nobody was home».