IELTS Idioms for Anger and Irritation

ielts-idioms-for-anger-and-irritation
1) bite someone's head off or snap someone's head off
Meaning- If someone bites your head off or snaps your head off, they speak to you in an unpleasant,  angry way, because they are annoyed about something.   [INFORMAL]
Example- Don't bite my head off just because you're fed up!

2) blow a fuse
Meaning- If you blow a fuse,  you suddenly lose your temper and cannot control your anger.
Example- He's going to blow a fuse when he finds out about Miller.

3) a dirty look or a filthy look
Meaning- If someone gives you a dirty look or a filthy look, they look at you in a way that shows that they are very angry about something.
Example- Michael gave him a dirty look and walked out of the kitchen.

4) drive someone up the wall
Meaning- If something or someone drives you up the wall,  they annoy you very much. [INFORMAL]
Example- He's so uncooperative he's beginning to drive me up the wall.

5) a face like thunder
Meaning- If someone has a face like thunder, they look extremely angry.  [BRITISH]
Example- The kitchen had flooded and Mick was raging around the house with a face like thunder.

6) fly off the handle
Meaning- If you fly off the handle,  you suddenly become very angry. [INFORMAL]
Example- When I finally managed to speak to him, he flew off the handle and shouted down the phone.

7) give someone hell
Meaning- II] If someone gives you hell, they make your life very unpleasant by behaving badly towards you.
Example- Their younger son gives them hell.
or
Meaning- If you say that someone gives you hell,  they shout at you or speak to you angrily because you have done something wrong.
Example- I got home three hours late and my mum gave me hell.

8) go through the roof or hit the roof
Meaning- If someone goes through the roof or hits the roof, they suddenly become very angry,   and usually show their anger by shouting at someone.   [INFORMAL]
Example- When I told my mother she went through the roof. She took one look at my hair and hit the roof.

9) have a chip on your shoulder
Meaning- If someone has a chip on their shoulder,   they feel angry and resentful because they think that they have been treated unfairly, especially because of their background.   [SPOKEN]
Example- She thinks he has a chip on his shoulder because he didn't go to university.

10) have a fit or throw a fit
Meaning- If someone has a fit or throws a fit, they become very angry and upset.
Example- Mum will have a fit when she hears about this.
Example- She threw a fit when she found me in the dressing room.

11) lose it
Meaning- If someone loses it, they become extremely angry or upset.  [INFORMAL]
Example- I completely lost it. I was shouting and swearing.

12) make your blood boil
Meaning- If something makes your blood boil, it makes you very angry.
Example- It makes my blood boil.  He doesn't like talking to the players but he wants his opinions known.

13) a pain in the neck
Meaning- If someone or something is a pain in the neck, they are very annoying.   [INFORMAL]
Example- He was a pain in the neck.  I was glad when he left my department.
Example- 'Sorry,' he said. 'They've forgotten to insure the car. It's a pain in the neck, but what can I do?'

14) a sore point or a sore spot
Meaning- You can say that a subject is a sore point with someone or a sore spot for them if it makes them feel angry, embarrassed,   or upset.
Example- The continuing presence of foreign troops remains a very sore point with these students. Slow job growth is a sore spot for the President.

15) touch or hit  someone's sore  point or sore spot
Meaning- If you touch or hit someone's sore point or sore spot,  you mention a subject which makes them feel angry, embarrassed,  or upset.
Example- The mention of Jim Kennerly had touched her sore spot.


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