English Grammar - Idioms and Phrases

English Grammar
English Grammar - Idioms and Phrases

Choose the correct meaning of the idiom: Fly off the handle


Options:

  1. To escape quietly
  2. To disappear quickly
  3. To become suddenly angry
  4. To handle a situation smartly

Right Answer: To become suddenly angry

The idiom 'fly off the handle' means to lose one's temper very suddenly and react with uncontrolled anger. Its origin is traced to an axe head that flies off its wooden handle while being swung, causing sudden and unexpected danger. The expression is normally used for people who overreact to small provocations, as in the sentence, 'He flies off the handle whenever someone questions his work.' The other options refer to escaping, disappearing or managing a situation cleverly, none of which conveys the sense of sudden rage. Hence the correct meaning is 'To become suddenly angry'.

This question is part of English Grammar - Idioms and Phrases, which has 10 practice questions with answers.

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