# set one's hair on fire

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/set-ones-hair-on-fire
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To become wildly impassioned; to behave crazily.

## Examples

- He sets his hair on fire whenever he loses a game.
- She sets her hair on fire every time she finds a spider.
- The manager set his hair on fire when he saw the budget report, demanding immediate changes from the entire team.
- You do not need to set your hair on fire just because the flight is delayed by twenty minutes.
- The activists set their hair on fire during the meeting to protest the new city laws regarding public housing.
- My neighbor sets his hair on fire every time a delivery driver parks for a few seconds in front of his driveway.
- Rather than calmly addressing the minor error, the director set his hair on fire and insisted that the entire project be scrapped immediately.

## Origin

The expression is said to have its origins in the conduct of Viking marauders. According to popular but unproven stories, these warriors would set their own hair and beards on fire before running into battle. The intention was to appear both fanatical and fearsome to their opponents, a tactic that prioritized psychological impact over the preservation of one's follicles. (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.