get someone's Irish up
English edit
Etymology edit
From a supposed propensity of Irish people to be easily and severely angered.
Pronunciation edit
Audio (AU) (file)
Verb edit
get someone's Irish up (third-person singular simple present gets someone's Irish up, present participle getting someone's Irish up, simple past got someone's Irish up, past participle (UK) got someone's Irish up or (US) gotten someone's Irish up)
- (potentially offensive) To anger or annoy someone.
- 1979, David Garth, New York Magazine, page 14:
- "It's so crazy I've got to believe they're either paranoid or trying to get his Irish up so he will run [and split the anti-Carter vote in the primaries]. My guess is it's paranoia."
Synonyms edit
- See Thesaurus:annoy and Thesaurus:enrage