Question of the Day #601

We’ve all had bad days. Occasionally it’s been a tough week. And some months are better than others — blistering heat in August and ice storms in February come to mind. But an entire year gone off the rails?

From the 1st paragraph of this article at The Pilot.

上記の文で、off the railsの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "off the rails" mean?

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Write your answer in the Comments.

明日、ここに答えを書きます。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

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解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

軌道からはずれて、頭が狂って

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

1. To be in a state of chaos, dysfunction, or disorder.
2. To be crazy, eccentric, or mentally unhinged.

Examples

• Our project has been off the rails ever since the manager up and quit last month.
• I think you should cut back on your drinking—you were totally off the rails last night!
• They've got to do something about these children because clearly they've gone off the rails.
• By the spring, the project seemed to be going off the rails. No major sponsor had come forward with the extra £1 million or so needed.
• The campaign for independence seems to have gone off the rails.

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