Alternative forms

• live rent free in someone's head

Etymology

Often attributed to American advice columnist Eppie Lederer (1918–2002), who used it in her syndicated advice column in 1990.

Verb

live rent-free in someone's head (third-person singular simple present lives rent-free in someone's head, present participle living rent-free in someone's head, simple past and past participle lived rent-free in someone's head)Category:English lemmas#LIVERENTFREEINSOMEONESHEADCategory:English verbs#LIVERENTFREEINSOMEONESHEADCategory:English multiword terms#LIVERENTFREEINSOMEONESHEADCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#LIVERENTFREEINSOMEONESHEADCategory:Pages with entries#LIVE%20RENT-FREE%20IN%20SOMEONE'S%20HEADCategory:Pages with 1 entry#LIVE%20RENT-FREE%20IN%20SOMEONE'S%20HEAD

1. (chiefly USCategory:American English#LIVERENTFREEINSOMEONESHEAD, informalCategory:English informal terms#LIVERENTFREEINSOMEONESHEAD, idiomaticCategory:English idioms#LIVERENTFREEINSOMEONESHEAD) To be the perpetual focus of someone's thoughts, with that person having no control over this situation.

   Synonym: live rent-free in someone's mind

   • 1990 March 8, Ann Landers [Eppie Lederer], “Breast cancer is in her family”, in Daily American, volume 62, number 210, Somerset, Pa., page 12:

     Gem of the Day: Hanging onto resentment is letting someone you despise live rent free in your head.

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   • 2010, Jennifer C. Hunt, Seven Shots: An NYPD Raid on a Terrorist Cell and Its Aftermath, page 32:

     The difficult bosses then get under their skin and live “rent-free” in their heads long after they've left work and gone home to sleep.

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   • 2015, Joanne Bamberger, Love Her, Love Her Not: The Hillary Paradox:

     It may not seem that way, but this is a testament to Hillary's ability to successfully make such a mark on her opposition that she lives rent-free in their heads for decades.

     Category:English terms with quotations#LIVERENTFREEINSOMEONESHEAD

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