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bent out of shape

/bɛnt aʊt ʌv ʃeɪp/
IPA guide

The idiom bent out of shape is used to describe someone who is very annoyed, upset, or offended — often about something that others might consider a minor issue.

The phrase bent out of shape comes from metalworking or car repair. When a piece of metal, like a car's fender, is bent out of shape, it's been deformed so that it no longer has the correct, functional shape. It has to be straightened out. When applied to people, it suggests that a person's normal, calm demeanor has been twisted by anger or stress. Something has caused them to act in a way that isn't normal for them.

Definitions of bent out of shape
  1. idiom
    very annoyed, angry, or upset
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