fit to be tied
Very agitated or distressed; also, very angry; enraged, furious.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“My boss was fit to be tied when I arrived late again.”
“She is fit to be tied because the airline lost her luggage.”
“When he discovered that his car had been scratched in the parking lot, he was fit to be tied.”
“The homeowner was fit to be tied after the delivery driver accidentally drove across her freshly planted flower garden.”
“My parents were fit to be tied when they saw the huge mess we made in the kitchen while they were out.”
“Upon realizing that the crucial documents had been misplaced by his assistant, the manager was fit to be tied and demanded an immediate explanation.”
disputed origin
The idiom is likely a reference to the physical restraint of individuals who have become dangerously agitated. It follows the construction of the adjective fit, in the sense of being proper or prepared, with the passive infinitive to be tied. The phrasing suggests a state of anger so pronounced that the subject is ready for, or perhaps requires, being bound with string or rope to prevent them from harming themselves or others.
- 01
canary fit
A highly emotional state of distress, anger, etc.
- 02
fit for a king
Lavish; luxurious.
- 03
fit out
To provide a thing, a group, a person or oneself with requisites; to kit out.
- 04
fit the bill
To satisfy a need; to serve a purpose; to fulfill specified requirements.
- 05
fit to wake the dead
At a very high volume; extremely loudly.
- 06
fits and starts
Activity which is intermittent, variable in intensity, and prolonged by interruptions.
- 07
have a fit
To experience an epileptic seizure.
- 08
have one's hands tied
To be powerless to act, to be thwarted.
Last updated August 10, 2026