Getting Angry
There are many idioms in English for “getting angry.” Two of the most common are:
- Hit the roof.
- Go ballistic.
“Hit the roof” is a very visual idiom. Imagine someone getting so angry that they jump up and hit their head on the roof.
Examples:
“If you ask me about that one more time, I’m going to hit the roof.” (I’m going to get extremely mad or angry).
“I was late for work today, and my boss hit the roof.”
“I told her I didn’t like her dress, and she hit the roof.”
“Go ballistic” has a similar meaning. “Ballistic” in this usage is probably from the phrase “ballistic missle” (弹道飞弹). The dictionary lists this for the word “ballistic”:
- suddenly and extremely upset or angry : WILD — usually used with go
Examples:
“Don’t go ballistic on me. I was only asking a question.” (NOTE: to “go ballistic on” someone is to get extremely angry at someone)
“If they don’t turn that music down, I’m going to go ballistic.”
“I was late for work yesterday, and my boss went ballistic.”
“That guy just went ballistic on that waiter.”
So, “go ballistic” can take an object with the preposition on. “Hit the roof” cannot take an object. I would say that to “go ballistic” is more extreme than to “hit the roof.”
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