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What do the terms, "Fly off the handle" or "He/she was beside him/herself" Mean, and where did they originate? These are very stupid sayings if you read them and actually think about what they mean. If anyone has the answer, a logical one, I will bow down and call you master. (You just won't see it)
What does any of this have to do with "music, movies, TV, and video games"?
I heard both of them in some music my stepdad was listening to. Dimebag Darell and David Allen Coe.
They are just phrases used to say that someone was overly angry. Just raged it. up thats all
Vincent,Quote:
Originally Posted by Vincent_the_Victorious
As an English and Linguistics major with a mild interest in etymology, I undertook this challenge.
Fly Off The Handle
Time of Origin: ~mid 18th century
Reason: This expression comes from U.S. frontier settlers. While repairing something, their axe head would sometimes come loose and fly off the handle. This was not only dangerous, but also held up work for others until it was fixed - much to the annoyance of all.
He/She Was Beside Him/Herself
Time of Origin: ~500BC (Classical Greek Period) - ~ 200BC (Hellenistic Greek Period)
Reason: In ancient times, it was believed that the soul and the body could separate and that under great stress the soul would leave the body. When this happened, the person was described as being "beside himself." The word "ecstasy" from Greek origin has the same sense and literally means, "to stand out of."
Hope that helped. I find that almost every phrase and idiom in our language has some history to it.
~Shigure
i cant tell you where and/or how they originated, but beside themselve means either really shocked or really upset i think and to fly off the handle is to go completely apesh!t at somebody, in a way.
Fly off the handle means you're about to get so mad you could throw something and scream so loud you would almost lose your voice cause that's how mad you are.he or she being beside him or herself means they are so happy they are beside themselves with joy or so angry they're beside themselves with anger.I hope that explains what both phrases mean.If it doesn't then I will say I'm sorry.
Question answered multiple times.
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