To get bent out of shape

The expression To get bent out of shape is one of the idioms that often finds a place in our literature and enriches our language. However, its meaning is not fully understood, so it is sometimes used in the wrong situations. Please review the explanation carefully for the correct use of the To get bent out of shape idiom.

Meaning of "To get bent out of shape"

Meaning

The phrase “to get bent out of shape” is an English idiom that is used to refer to someone becoming angry or upset over something trivial or inconsequential. It suggests that the person is emotionally overreacting or having a disproportionately strong reaction to something. In this case, the person is “bent out of shape” due to their intense emotions.

Etymology

The earliest known recorded use of the phrase “to get bent out of shape” was in the late 1950s, but its origin is unclear. It is believed that the phrase is derived from the expression “bent out of shape,” which was originally used to describe something that was distorted or out of alignment. This suggests that the phrase was originally used to describe someone whose emotions were so intense that it was as if their whole body was out of alignment.

Usage

The phrase “to get bent out of shape” is typically used when someone is responding to a situation that is not really worth getting upset over. It is primarily used in informal contexts and is often used to describe someone’s overreaction in a humorous or light-hearted way. It can be used to describe both the person themselves or their reaction to something. For example, someone might say “Don’t get bent out of shape! It’s not worth it!” or “He really got bent out of shape over that.”

Example Sentences

• I don’t know why she got so bent out of shape. It’s not a big deal.
• My brother always gets bent out of shape about the smallest things.
• I can’t believe he got so bent out of shape over something so silly.
• Why don’t you just relax and stop getting bent out of shape?

The Global Spread of English Idioms

As English has become a global language, its idioms have spread far beyond the borders of the UK and USA. For instance, the idiom "beat around the bush" has equivalents in many other languages, such as "tourner autour du pot" in French and "dar vueltas al asunto" in Spanish. Meanwhile, other idioms have been adapted for local contexts, such as the Russian idiom "?? ???? ???????" (ne svoya rubashka), which translates to "not one's own shirt," meaning to be in an uncomfortable or unfamiliar situation.