What it means
Means someone's properly lost the plot and is acting bonkers in a way that's more funny than serious. It's an old British bit of banter for being mad, daft, or gloriously not all there for a minute. Usually said with a grin, a side-eye, or that "what on earth are you doing" energy.
Usage examples
"Kev’s gone doolally tap, mate. He’s swapped his Astra for a unicycle and a pet llama, then tried taking it down the high street like it’s normal"
"Grandad's gone a bit doolally tap, he's started naming the pigeons in the garden and feeding them toast."
"You're doolally tap if you think I'm swimming in the sea in February, even for a dare."
"You must be doolally tap if you think I'm paying fourteen quid for beans on toast in that pub."
"Our Lisa's gone full doolally tap since she got that air fryer, cooking crisps in it like she's on telly."
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Where it comes from
It grows out of doolally, old British army slang for going mad or going a bit soft in the head. That bit comes from Deolali in India, where British troops were stationed and the name got tangled up with mental strain and cracking up. Tap was later tacked on for extra comic daftness.
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