live rent-free in someone's head

Meaning: (chieflyUS,informal,idiomatic)To be theperpetualfocusof someone'sthoughts, with that person having nocontrolover thissituation.Synonym:live rent-free in someone's mind1990March 8, Ann Landers [Eppie Lederer], “Breast cancer is in her family”, inDaily American, volume62, number210, Somerset, Pa., page12:Gem of the Day: Hanging onto resentment is letting someone you despiselive rent free in your head.2010, Jennifer C. Hunt,Seven Shots: An NYPD Raid on a Terrorist Cell and Its Aftermath, page32:The difficult bosses then get under their skin andlive “rent-free” in their headslong after they've left work and gone home to sleep.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 shelives rent-free in their headsfor decades.

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