GET (ONE’S) SECOND WIND, GET (SOMEONE’S) DANDER/HACKLES UP, GET (SOMEONE’S) GOAT: American English Idioms #85

GET (ONE’S) SECOND WIND

The idiom “Get one’s second wind” refers to the feeling one gets after they have been tired and exhausted, but then they gain energy and start to feel better. Generally in these situations, one would use this newfound energy in order to do something productive or take care of tasks they had been putting off in order to get their life back on track.

The idiom “get one’s second wind” is used to describe a sudden surge of energy after a period of being exhausted. This phrase may have originated from the idea that a runner who has lost their first wind, aka first burst of energy, can sometimes recover and get a second wind, a new burst of energy that allows them to finish the race or reach their goal.

In the context of language, this phrase refers to a person being able to have more energy after they have been tired or worn out. In particular, it often refers to a person being able to complete an arduous task with renewed strength. This term can also be used as a noun where “second wind” is an instance that gives somebody enough energy to perform at a higher level.

The term “second wind” is used as an idiom to describe a moment or event in which a person feels energized and demonstrates renewed vitality. This phenomenon is often seen as a response to stress, fatigue, or frustration. One technique for combatting fatigue is recognizing one’s own body’s natural rhythms of activity and rest, and making adjustments accordingly. Another technique is regulating one’s emotional state by using positive affirmations or coping mechanisms.

GET (SOMEONE’S) DANDER/HACKLES UP

This idiom means to become angry, usually due to provocation. The dander is the hair on the back of an animal’s neck that stands up when they are angry.

The phrase get someone’s dander up is an idiom that means to make someone angry. It may also refer to being in a high temper.

The origin of this phrase is unknown but it can be found in use by the 1600s, suggesting that it could have been in common usage before then.

Many idioms exist in language that express a sentiment of anger. A common example is the phrase “get someone’s dander up,” which means to make someone angry. When one is dander up, it typically translates to be angry or irritated.

With the use of complex academic jargon, one could refer to “the act of making someone angry or irritate.” This sentiment is also known as the act of “raising someone’s blood pressure” or “angering someone.

An idiom is a culture-specific phrase that has an ordinary meaning, but is used to mean something else. Get someone’s dander up means to anger or anger them, typically because of an injustice or slight. This phrase is seen in the sentence “She got my dander up with her condescending attitude.

GET (SOMEONE’S) GOAT

The idiom to get someone’s goat refers to angering or agitating someone. It usually has the function of getting one’s last nerve, which is often an animal metaphor. Although this idiom can be interpreted as literally meaning to steal someone’s goat, it is more often used figuratively.

To get someone’s goat is to anger or agitate somebody.

This phrase comes from the old American tradition of stealing a goat from a neighboring farm to ruin their livelihood, but it can be used in other contexts as well. The idiom means “to aggravate someone to a degree that they are unable to concentrate or function.”

The usage of the phrase “get someone’s goat” is often used when one person has been aggravated by another individual to the point where they have lost their concentration and are no longer able to function properly.

Nothing seems more frustrating than getting someone’s goat. This idiom means to provoke an angry response. Obtaining someone’s goat can be done by deriding or talking down to them. It can also happen through physical bullying, kidnapping of animals, kidnapping of humans, or just being a general nuisance.

The phrase “get someone’s goat” means to make someone angry. The idiom is derived from the historical practice of stealing a neighbor’s livestock and herding it into your own field. This would anger them and cause tensions to rise, often leading to violence and property damage.