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Thread: idioms meaning "to irritate or annoy someone"

  1. #1
    Olenek's Avatar
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    Default idioms meaning "to irritate or annoy someone"

    Hi,

    I've found some idioms meaning "to irritate or annoy someone":

    1) "To get/put someone's back up";
    2) "To get someone's dander up" (some people say "gander up");
    3) "To ruffle someone’s feathers";
    4) "To raise someone’s hackles";
    5) "To make someone's blood boil";
    6) "To get someone’s goat";
    7) "To get on someone’s wick";
    8) "To get in someone’s hair";
    9) "To drive someone up the wall";
    10) "To drive someone to a fury";
    11) "To be like a red rag to a bull".

    Which of these idioms do you use/ hear?
    Do you use other phrases with the same sense?

    Many Thanks for all your answers!

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    freezeframe is offline Key Member
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    Default Re: idioms meaning "to irritate or annoy someone"

    Quote Originally Posted by Olenek View Post
    3) "To ruffle someone’s feathers"; I hear this from more "refined people" but this is for kind of mild annoyance.

    5) "To make someone's blood boil"; Yes. But not very often.
    6) "To get someone’s goat"; I think I heard this somewhere. I personally wouldn't say this.

    8) "To get in someone’s hair"; Yes.
    9) "To drive someone up the wall"; Yes. This one I use a lot.
    The one I use most often is "he pissed me off!" "this really pisses me off!"

    Also, "this is driving me nuts/crazy".

    Some people say "this is driving me bonkers".

    Someone who's annoying is "pain in the neck" or (the less polite version) "pain in the ass".
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    SanMar's Avatar
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    Default Re: idioms meaning "to irritate or annoy someone"

    Quote Originally Posted by freezeframe View Post
    The one I use most often is "he pissed me off!" "this really pisses me off!"

    Also, "this is driving me nuts/crazy".

    Some people say "this is driving me bonkers".

    Someone who's annoying is "pain in the neck" or (the less polite version) "pain in the ass".

    I pretty much agree with Freezeframe. All I'd add is royal.

    " What a royal pain in the ass he is."

    'Royal" has nothing to do with status instead it just indicates intensity or "specialness" (even more of a pain than usual or typically expected).
    Fairly well known but not used that often anymore, at least not where I am of course!

    Not a teacher.
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    Verona_82 is offline Senior Member
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    Default Re: idioms meaning "to irritate or annoy someone"

    If you have a pet peeve, there's something that gets you really annoyed (peeved).

    P.S. no s**t -containing idioms? :(
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    freezeframe is offline Key Member
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    Default Re: idioms meaning "to irritate or annoy someone"

    Quote Originally Posted by Verona_82 View Post

    P.S. no s**t -containing idioms? :(
    Turtles annoy the sh*t out of me.

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    freezeframe is offline Key Member
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    Default Re: idioms meaning "to irritate or annoy someone"

    A politer version of "piss off" is "tick off".
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    Default Re: idioms meaning "to irritate or annoy someone"

    also....

    He is grating my (f**king) nerves!
    I use this one a lot.

    "proper way" is grate/ing on my nerves

    Not a teacher.
    :)
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    dangauss is offline Newbie
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    Default Re: idioms meaning "to irritate or annoy someone"

    To bug someone is often heard in America.

    Stop bugging me!
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    Default Re: idioms meaning "to irritate or annoy someone"

    A high school friend in Brussels, who hailed from Detroit, used to say:

    "Youre steimin' on my skitch!"

    But I think that's a rare one.

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    Default Re: idioms meaning "to irritate or annoy someone"

    You're giving me the sh*ts.
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