Blow a fuse
Meaning
To suddenly lose one's temper and become extremely angry.
Origin
Before people got metaphorically hot-headed, actual electrical fuses were the silent sentinels of early power systems. Invented in the 19th century and common by the 20th, these vital safety devices contained a thin wire designed to melt and 'blow' when an electrical circuit was overloaded. This sudden, protective shutdown, often with a pop and a loss of power, prevented wiring from catching fire. The dramatic image of a system overloaded to the point of a spectacular, immediate failure perfectly captured the human experience of losing control. A mind pushed past its breaking point, erupting in an explosive burst of anger and a complete shutdown of composure, mirrored the electrical circuit's dramatic collapse, giving us our vivid shorthand for a sudden fit of rage.
Examples
- When he realized his computer had crashed and he'd lost hours of work, he was ready to blow a fuse.
- The manager might blow a fuse if we don't finish this report by the deadline, so let's hurry.