Rage Inflation

[Marsh12]

In the 19th century, a lady who was very annoyed was said to be 'beside herself'. In the early 1900's, when my mother was young,, her mother would sometimes 'hit the ceiling'. Somewhat later, if I was extremely naughty, my mother would 'go through the roof'. And, about ten years ago, a teenager told me that bad behaviour made her mother 'go ballistic'.

Where are the enraged located now?

And does anyone know of other such linguistic progressions?

[cupid04]

I don't know about that but my dearly departed father-in law went mad
once when told to CHILL!

[Old_Geezer]

Well one can't blame him. Must be few things more annoying when annoyed than to have someone order you not to be.

[heathfield]

Some reverted to their ancestral past and went ape-sh*t.

[tenrec]

mental innit!

[cupid04]

flipped or went berserk.

[beso]

Going highr all the time. "Hitting the ceiling" came before "hitting the roof" before going "through the roof".

Surprisingly, going "over the moon" means something entirely different.

[boxtops]

I still get Beside Myself - I don't think these change that much!

[beso]

I think these days the mother's reaction is irrelevant and the kid just says "whatever".

[jno]

that would explain your avatar, then, boxy. Which one is the real you?

[boxtops]

LOL jno, that would be telling (as if!)

[beso]

Without prompting I asked my wife what she would have said as a kid in the sixties in Sydney, Australia.

"Ballistic"

[jno]

I don't recall ballistic from the 60s at all (not saying Mrs beso is wrong, of course). Though I can't remember what we did say.

[tiggerblue10]

Vexed.

[maggiebee]

I'm often beside myself before I hit the ceiling.