having one's head read

Verb

have one's head read (third-person singular simple present has one's head read, present participle having one's head read, simple past and past participle had one's head read)

1. (dated) To have the bumps, indentations, and shape of one's skull examined and interpreted by a phrenologist.
   • He told the police that he went to a couple of "phrenologists" to have his head read with the idea of getting rid of the pain in his stomach.1931 January 1, “Pain stays in head after $8,500 "cure"”, in Deseret News, retrieved 29 Apr 2013, page 3
2. (idiomatic) To have one's mental health assessed, to receive a psychiatric examination.
   • "A guy who thinks he gets smart in this horse-race game oughta have his head read."1957 January 30, Pete Pederson, “Spinney's Win Baffles Turf Experts”, in Los Angeles Times, retrieved 29 Apr 2013, page C4

   Synonyms:

   have one's head examined