flip one's lid
To become explosively angry, to lose one's temper.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“My boss will flip his lid if he sees this mistake.”
“When he saw the deep scratches on his new car, he completely flipped his lid.”
“The manager was known to flip his lid whenever his staff failed to meet the strict production quotas.”
Originally an Americanism, the phrase is formed from the analogy of a boiling pot explosively displacing its lid due to the accumulation of internal pressure.
- 01
abound in one's own sense
To follow one’s own inclinations and opinions.
- 02
ace up one's sleeve
A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.
- 03
act one's age
To behave in a manner appropriate to one's age.
- 04
act one's age, not one's shoe size
Synonym of act one's age (“to behave in a mature manner; to avoid being childish”).
- 05
afraid of one's own shadow
Exceptionally timid.
- 06
air one's dirty laundry in public
To reveal one's sordid secrets to the public.
- 07
air one's dirty linen in public
Synonym of air one's dirty laundry in public.
- 08
albatross around one's neck
A characteristic, possession, associate, or previous deed that hinders one's ability to succeed.
Last updated August 10, 2026