Hit the Ceiling, To 🚀
Definition: To lose one’s temper. The image of rising with fury seems quite natural. This expression comes from early twentieth-century America and soon crossed the Atlantic.
Synonyms: Blow a fuse, flip one’s lid, fly off the handle, go ballistic, blow a gasket, have a cow, wig out.
Antonyms: Stay calm, keep cool, remain composed, be zen, chill out.
Similar Expressions and Proverbs:
- Raise the roof: To make a lot of noise, especially through anger or enthusiasm.
- Up in arms: To be very angry.
- Lose one’s cool: To become very upset or angry.
- Boil over: To lose patience and become very angry suddenly.
Humor-Filled Quotes:
- “I’m not arguing, I’m just explaining why I’m right.”
- “I’m under the weather but above irritation.”
- P. G. Wodehouse in Very Good, Jeeves! (1930): “I haven’t breathed a word to Angela. She’d hit the ceiling.”
References in Literature and Media:
- Books: Very Good, Jeeves! by P. G. Wodehouse
- Movies: Anger Management (2003) - Understanding the humor in dealing with rage.
- Songs: Happy by Pharrell Williams - A great contrast to the idiom with all-out positivity.
- Poetry: A Poison Tree by William Blake - A deeper look at the consequence of harboring anger.
Related Advice:
- “Never go to bed angry, stay up and fight.” - Phyllis Diller
- “For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Inspirational Farewell: Remember, losing your temper is like trying to steer a car with no brakes—exciting but bound to crash. Navigate life’s roads with a steady hand and circumspect mind.
### Which of these expressions means to get extremely angry?
- [x] Hit the ceiling
- [ ] Cooking in a thought bubble
- [ ] Singing like a starfish
- [ ] Doodling in the sand
> **Explanation:** "Hit the ceiling" is an idiom that means to become very angry. The other phrases are just whimsical imaginations, not associated with anger.
### Which phrase fits best as an antonym for 'hit the ceiling'?
- [ ] Blow your top
- [ ] Go ballistic
- [x] Keep cool
- [ ] Have a cow
> **Explanation:** "Keep cool" is an antonym of "hit the ceiling", as it means to stay calm and composed, the opposite of getting extremely angry.
### True or False: 'Hit the ceiling' was first recorded in the 20th century.
- [x] True
- [ ] False
> **Explanation:** Indeed, the idiom "hit the ceiling" originates from early twentieth-century America.
