rant and rave, to - To speak wildly and angrily about some circumstance or issue. This expression was first recorded as “rave and rant,” or literally, “raived and ranted,” in James MacManus’s The Bend of the Road (1898). The turnaround came soon thereafter and the term always appears in this form today. David Leavitt used it in Family Dancing (1984), “It’s easy for you to just stand there and rant and rave.”
Related Terms & Similar Expressions:
- Blow a gasket - To become very angry; He blew a gasket when he found out about the new policy.
- Blow one’s top - To lose one’s temper suddenly and dramatically; She blew her top when the project was delayed again.
- Foam at the mouth - To be extremely angry; He’s foaming at the mouth over that missed call.
- Hit the roof - To become extremely angry; Mom hit the roof when she saw my report card.
Synonyms
- Vent
- Fume
- Rant
- Bluster
- Storm
Antonyms
- Whisper
- Praise
- Commend
- Calm down
- Maintain composure
Proverbs and Quotes
“Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.” - Mark Twain
“Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.” - Ambrose Bierce
Suggested Reading
Books:
- The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
- Anger by Thich Nhat Hanh
Movies:
- Anger Management (2003)
- Falling Down (1993)
Songs:
- “Angry Again” by Megadeth
- “You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette
Poetry:
- “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas (for that rage against the dying of the light)
Inspirational Thought: Emotions are like waves in the ocean; you can’t stop them from coming, but you can choose which ones to surf.
Farewell Note: Always remember, just as a tempest must storm, so too must it calm. Rant and rave your heart out but find solace in balance. Revisit this dictionary whenever you feel like stirring the linguistic cauldron of idioms, clichés, and expressions. Stay eloquent, stay inspired.
- Tempest T. Talker
