# fit to be tied

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/fit-to-be-tied
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Very agitated or distressed; also, very angry; enraged, furious.

## Examples

- 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.

## 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. (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.