"That's a great deal to make one word mean," Alice said in a thoughtful tone. "When I make a word do a lot of work like that," said Humpty Dumpty, "I always pay it extra."

Thursday 3 December 2009

Driving me up the wall



To drive someone up the wall means to annoy or irritate someone very much. If something drives you up the wall it makes you very unhappy and full of anxiety or anger.

It's origin is said to come from the idea that one climbed the walls to escape from whatever was annoying one.

(Thanks to Brian for the brilliant photo!)

2 comments:

  1. I like your little flashing sign, take it or leave it.
    My sister-in-law used to have something similar on the wall of her kitchen:

    Kitchen closed on account of illness.
    I am sick of cooking!

    A joke obviously -- she was one of the best cooks I knew.

    Canadian Chickadee

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  2. Great photo! That is what my children use to do to me! I love to see their children do it to them. What goes around...comes around....

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