ENGLISH
REFERENCE

get someone's goat

idiom
Meaning

To annoy or infuriate someone.


Origin

disputed origin

Uncertain; it has been suggested that the term may be derived from French prendre la chèvre (literally “to take the goat”), or refer to the stealing of a goat mascot from a military unit, etc.

Examples
SIMPLE

His constant whistling really gets my goat.

CONTEXTUAL

The way my neighbor parks his car across two spaces really gets my goat.

COMPLEX

It truly gets my goat when people interrupt others during a serious discussion, as it shows a complete lack of respect for the speaker.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    another nail in someone's coffin

    An event that increases the likelihood of or causes further failure.

  2. 02

    answer someone's prayers

    To be or do exactly what someone has been wishing or asking for.

  3. 03

    answer to someone's prayers

    Exactly what someone has been wishing or asking for.

  4. 04

    apple of someone's eye

    The object of somebody's affections; a person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers; a favorite, a loved one.

  5. 05

    as it gets

    As it is possible to be.

  6. 06

    bane of someone's existence

    Someone or something that poses a significant problem to someone.

  7. 07

    bash someone's face in

    To beat someone violently.

  8. 08

    bash someone's head

    To beat up someone violently.

Last updated July 12, 2026