tear one's hair out en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
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(idiomatic) To react with extreme agitation.
"It's only a rattle," Alice said, after a careful examination of the little white thing. "Not a rattle-snake, you know," she added hastily, thinking that he was frightened: "only an old rattle — quite old and broken." "I knew it was!" cried Tweedledum, beginning to stamp about wildly and tear his hair. "It's spoilt, of course!" Here he looked at Tweedledee, who immediately sat down on the ground, and tried to hide himself under the umbrella.
1871, Lewis Carroll, “Chapter IV”, in Through the Looking-Glass:My friend's job at a call center is so stressful he could tear his hair out.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| torn one's hair out | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| tore one's hair out | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| tears one's hair out | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| tear out one's hair | alternative | lexicographic | |
| pull one's hair out | alternative | lexicographic | |
| pull out one's hair | alternative | lexicographic | |
| tearing one's hair out | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |
Relateds
Translations (4)
el τραβάω τα μαλλιά μου (react with extreme agitation) · es rasgarse las vestiduras (react with extreme agitation) · es mesarse los cabellos (react with extreme agitation) · fr s'arracher les cheveux (react with extreme agitation)