What it means
To blow your top means to suddenly lose your temper and kick off hard. One second you're keeping the lid on, next second you're shouting, fuming, and making the whole place go dead quiet. It's for those proper snap moments when the pressure's been stacking up and then boom, off it goes.
Usage examples
"Dad blew his top when the phone bill landed, went bright red and started muttering bloody daylight robbery while the curtain-twitcher next door watched with a cuppa."
"She blew her top when the courier left the package at number 47 again, drafted a strongly worded email in three minutes, then deleted it and made a cup of tea."
"Dad blows his top about once a month over the recycling rules, then by Sunday roast he is calmly explaining glass goes in the blue bin to anyone who will listen."
"Mum blew her top when she found muddy trainers on the clean bedspread and now everyone in the house is moving about on apology settings."
"My boss absolutely blew his top over a missing attachment, then had to admit ten minutes later it was sitting in his own drafts."
Got something to say?
Edit, fix or tell us something. We review it and, if it is true, you will see it applied with your name on it.
Where it comes from
This phrase is recorded in English by the mid 20th century and comes from pressure imagery. The idea is that a lid or top flies off when too much force builds up inside. It's the same family of pictures you get in phrases about boiling over or blowing off steam.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
Your vote counts
Is this real street talk or have we lost the plot? Cast your vote.