Dictionary

get someone's goat en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˌɡɛt ˈsʌmwʌnz ˈɡoʊt/ (General-American)
• /ˌɡɛt ˈsʌmwʌnz ˈɡəʊt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio

Etymology

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.

Meanings

1. (idiomatic, informal) To annoy or infuriate someone.
   • "Unfortunately," said Soames, "there's no such thing as luck in properly regulated assurance, as we shall find, or I'm much mistaken. I shouldn't be surprised if an action lay against the Board for gross negligence!" That had got the Chairman's goat!—Got his goat? What expressions they used nowadays! 1924 October, John Galsworthy, “The Mark Falls”, in The White Monkey, London: William Heinemann, published November 1924, →OCLC, part II, page 123:
   • As Sandra Strain had seen it, as quickly as Natty had gotten her goat, she had slaughtered it by being apologetic. This was not what the girl had anticipated, nor wanted to hear. 2005, Sandy Santistevan, chapter 7, in Song of the Cicada: A Novel, Lincoln, Neb.: iUniverse, →ISBN, page 79:
   • It sure did get their goat; they turned without saying a word and walked off toward the highway, red-necked, us laughing behind them. I forget sometimes what laughter can do. 1962 February 1, Ken Kesey, One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Signet Books; 225), New York, N.Y.: New American Library, →OCLC; republished New York, N.Y.: Signet, New American Library, February 1963, →OCLC, page 95:
   • Sometimes people are quite simply intent on riling us; on getting our goat. [...] If you don't want them to get your goat, don't let them know where it is. 2002, Barry Winbolt, “Looking for New Ideas”, in Difficult People: A Guide to Handling Difficult Behaviour, Seaford, East Sussex: ISR Publishing, Institute for Social Relations, published 2005, →ISBN, section 2, pages 191–192:
   • If he had legged it on his own account, because what he heard me say got his goat, I could understand that. 1915, Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, chapter XXIII, in Uneasy Money, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton and Company, published 17 March 1916, →OCLC, page 306:
   • But there's one litte thing that gets my goat, / That certainly strikes a sour note. / It's that Southern Ship who has my place— / With her larger decks and her faster pace. 1941 May, “Milestone”, in T. Orchard Lisle, editor, The Log, volume 36, number 8, San Francisco, Calif.: Miller Freeman Publishers, →OCLC, page 34:
   • It really gets my goat when inconsiderate people drop litter in public.

Forms

Coordinates

yank someone's chain

Deriveds

get under someone's goat

Synonyms

cheese off · embitter · rankle · rankle · put out · get someone's goat · get on someone's nerves · jazz · torque off · get someone's dander up · nark · rile · mommick · get someone's back up · offend · rub someone the wrong way · get someone's goat · anger · botherate · rub the wrong way · get someone's nanny-goat · molest · get · hassle · exasperate · antagonize · piss off · burn up · Idioms: · honk off · get someone's nanny · pee off · harsh one's mellow · make angry · irritate · madden · give someone the shits · steam · raise someone's hackles · incense · give someone the shits · annoy · irk · provoke · nark · peeve · bedevil · storm · sting · acerbate · nettle · aggravate · get someone's nanny-goat · roil · cheese off · cross · tick off · boil someone's piss · get under one's goat · awrath · persecute · try one's patience · aggravate · get someone's nanny · pique · get to · get · make someone's blood boil · roil · get on someone's tits · rattle someone's cage · get someone's Irish up · hack off · grind one's gears · envenom · peeve off · grotch · provoke · rile · affront · raise someone's hackles · get under one's goat · nerve · raise someone's shag · test someone's patience · rile up · outrage · infuriate · vex · chap someone's hide · antagonize · burn up · tee off · ruffle someone's feathers · set off · inflame · ruffle · get someone's Irish up · ruffle some feathers · put someone's back up · frustrate · get on someone's wick · get someone's dander up · grate · piss off · get up · get under someone's skin · wind up · put someone's back up · tick off · devil · make someone see red · disgruntle · bother · get one's back up · rub up the wrong way · burn someone's ass · trouble · set up someone's birse · gall · bug

Translations (9)

es hacer la puñeta (to annoy or infuriate someone — see also annoy, infuriate) · fr courir sur le haricot (to annoy or infuriate someone — see also annoy, infuriate) · pl działać na nerwy (to annoy or infuriate someone — see also annoy, infuriate) · es cabrear (to annoy or infuriate someone — see also annoy, infuriate) · it mandare in bestia (to annoy or infuriate someone — see also annoy, infuriate) · es sacar la piedra (to annoy or infuriate someone — see also annoy, infuriate) · es dar la tabarra (to annoy or infuriate someone — see also annoy, infuriate) · es emputecer (to annoy or infuriate someone — see also annoy, infuriate) · pl grać na nerwach (to annoy or infuriate someone — see also annoy, infuriate)

wikipedia: Michael Quinion