Where does the word doolally come from?

The word "doolally" is believed to have originated from "Doolally" or "Deolali", a military cantonment in India which served as a rest and recuperation station for British soldiers.

Here's the breakdown:

* Deolali: The cantonment itself was named after a nearby village, "Deolali."

* Doolally: Over time, the pronunciation of "Deolali" among British soldiers became "Doolally."

* Meaning: Soldiers stationed at Deolali, due to the heat, lack of familiar comforts, and long stretches of inactivity, were often prone to mental and emotional distress. This led to the association of "Doolally" with "mental instability," "excessively eccentric," or "crazy."

The term "doolally" became popularized in British English and eventually spread to other English-speaking countries. It's important to note that the origin story of "doolally" is not entirely certain, but the connection to the Deolali cantonment is the most widely accepted explanation.