Fly off the handle

Meaning

Lose self control

Origin

This is an American phrase and it alludes to the uncontrolled way a loose axe-head flies off from its handle. It is first found in print in Thomas C. Haliburton's The Attaché; or, Sam Slick in England, 1843/4:

"He flies right off the handle for nothing."

Definition:

lose one's cool

Synonyms: blow a gasket, blow one's mind, blow one's stack, blow one's top, crack up, fly off the handle, freak out, go ape, go ballistic, go berserk, go crazy, go haywire, go nuts, go off the deep end, hit the ceiling, lose control of oneself, lose it, lose one's composure, lose one's mind, lose one's temper, wig out

Examples:

He really flew off the handle when I suggested selling the house.

When we make mistakes, he brings it to our attention, but he doesn't fly off the handle like he used to.

He's extremely irritable - he flies off the handle at the slightest thing.

Source:

dictionary.cambridge.org

thesaurus.com

idioms.thefreedictionary.com

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