get one's goat
idiom

- to make angry

- to anger, annoy, or frustrate a person

Merriam-Webster, Collins Dictionary

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PHRASE ORIGIN

The etymology of the phrase "get one's goat" is uncertain and has been the subject of much speculation. Several theories have been proposed:

One popular story suggests that goats were kept with racehorses to calm them. Removing the goat before a race would upset the horse, making it run poorly. However, there is no solid evidence to support this theory, and it is often classified as folk etymology or an urban legend.

Another theory suggests that the phrase originated in the U.S. Navy, where goats were kept as mascots on ships. This theory is supported by early uses of the phrase in Navy and boxing contexts around 1905.

Some propose that the phrase might be derived from the French expression prendre la chèvre, meaning "to take the goat," though this connection is speculative.

In the early 20th century, "goat" was sometimes used as slang for anger or annoyance, which could be related to the phrase's meaning.

Despite these theories, the true origin of "get one's goat" remains unclear, and it is considered one of the more enigmatic idioms in English.

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WHAT GETS YOUR GOAT?

Here are the top 10 office irritations, gathered from sundry various sources:

1. Grumpy or Moody Colleagues (37%)

2. Slow Computers (36%)

3. Small Talk/Gossip (19%)

4. Office Jargon (18%)

5. Loud Phone Conversations (18%).

6. Poor Toilet Etiquette (16%)

7. Unreliable Meeting Attendance (16%)

8. Messy Kitchen Areas (15%)

9. Too Hot, Too Cold Office Temperature (15%)

10. Being Interrupted (12%)

Sources: InHerSight, Frezza, CBS News


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SYNONYMS

Apologies for this huge, 192-item list (but see our footnote below). We've grouped by broad themes to make it more manageable and meaningful. Some expressions appear in more than one category due to their overlapping meanings.

1. Mild Irritation / Annoyance

These words suggest a lower level of irritation or bother, often repetitive or nagging:

annoy, bug, bother, chafe, displease, disturb, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, pester, miff, nag, nudge, niggle, get in one's hair, get on one's nerves, grate, grate on, get under one's skin, not amused, ruffle, ruffle feathers, rub (up) the wrong way, be a pest to, tease, yap at, pick at, pick on, wind up

2. Provocation / Deliberate Baiting

These suggest intentional attempts to provoke or annoy someone:

provoke, antagonize, bait, needle, rile, push one's buttons, press one's buttons, get a rise out of, GET SOMEONE'S GOAT, yank someone's chain, play cat and mouse, tease, spoof, goose, stir the pot, give a hard time, give someone grief, give someone the hump

3. Anger / Rage Inducing

Stronger expressions involving making someone angry or causing them to lose control:

anger, infuriate, enrage, incense, madden, boil one's blood, make one's blood boil, make one see red, fly off the handle, flip one's lid, blow one's fuse, blow one's top, steam up, hack off, piss off, drive crazy, drive up the wall, drive one up the wall, drive bananas, drive mad, drive someone nuts, drive to distraction

4. Emotional Pressure / Stress

These involve wearing someone down emotionally or causing mental distress:

distress, upset, worry, trouble, vex, frustrate, fluster, disconcert, distract, exhaust, stress out, work up, sap, gnaw, encumber, drain, put on edge, set on edge, set one's teeth on edge, rasp one's nerves, throw into a tizz, unhinge, work into a lather, make nervous

5. Conflict / Harsh Treatment

Direct acts of mistreatment, confrontation, or psychological/emotional control:

harass, badger, berate, dominate, bully, ride roughshod over, persecute, mistreat, torment, trample on, trample underfoot, despotize, subjugate, coerce, nag, hound, hassle, molest, punish, control, rule over, rule with an iron hand, beat down, override, exploit, put pressure on, lean on, breathe down someone’s neck

6. Figurative / Idiomatic Expressions

Colourful idioms often used in colloquial speech to describe emotional reactions or frustration:

burn one up, be a thorn in one's side, bark up the wrong tree, butter no parsnips, drive one round the bend, drive someone nuts, GET ONE'S GOAT, get on one’s last nerve, steam one’s clams, stick in one’s craw, kick up a stink, throw into a tizzy, rub salt in the wound, be like a red rag to a bull, make someone’s hackles rise, pull one’s leg, yank one’s chain, strike a nerve, hit a nerve

7. Disgust / Aversion

Words showing deep dislike or strong emotional aversion:

abominate, cause bitterness, disgust, revolt, repulse, offend, outrage, sour, make sore, make livid, make rancorous, make resentful, make cross, turn off

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SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation, say something like:

“I wonder why English contains so many synonyms for GET ONE’S GOAT.”

FOOTNOTE:

The sheer number and nuance of English synonyms for irritation, anger, and provocation suggest that English speakers place a strong emphasis on expressing emotional reactions—particularly negative or complex interpersonal feelings—with precision and variety. This richness reflects a cultural worldview that values emotional granularity, open expression of frustration, and a willingness to name subtle social tensions. It also indicates a highly verbal culture where interpersonal conflict, power dynamics, and stress are frequent enough in daily life to require detailed linguistic tools to describe them.

H&P

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