Example: Tom was fit to be tied when he realized someone had shot his prize turkey.
Just recently I wrote a blog post about a story that Granny had told me and while I didn't write the story down as she told it, I could almost hear her speaking as I recalled and typed it. "Fit to be tied" was a phrase that she used often and is something that I still say.
I always try to add a picture to every blog post and as I immediately thought of this one of my son, Dude (not his real name). This was taken at our VBS when he was about 5 or 6 years old and from the looks of it, he was fit to be tied! There ain't no telling why he was so mad but he definitely was.
If you are a visitor and hear someone use this phrase, proceed with caution! Other Appalachian phrases that refer to being mad:
- Ill as a hornet.
- Mad as an old wet hen.
- All riled up.
- Got my feathers all ruffled up.
- All worked up.
- Having a hissy fit.
- Pitching a fit.
- Got their panties in a wad.
- Got a burr in their saddle.
- Puffed up like a bullfrog.
- He's tore plumb outta his frame.
- She's gotta a bee in her bonnet.
- Mad enough to spit nails.
- Plumb fed up!
