get bent out of shape

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Verb

get bent out of shape (third-person singular simple present gets bent out of shape, present participle getting bent out of shape, simple past got bent out of shape, past participle (UK) got bent out of shape or (US) gotten bent out of shape)

1. (slang, idiomatic) To take offense; to become angry, agitated, or upset.

   They stopped inviting him to the gatherings, and he really got bent out of shape about it.

   • 2005, James Howard Kunstler, The Long Emergency:

     Just reflecting on the events of the twentieth century alone could take your breath away, so why get bent out of shape about the ultimate fate of the earth?

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see get,‎ bend,‎ out of,‎ shape.

Translations

to take offense; to become angry, agitated, or upset — see upset

See also

• get one's knickers in a twist
• get one's nose out of joint
• tie oneself in knots