hot under collar
Flushed with annoyance
Hot under the collar means angry or agitated, especially in response to criticism or provocation.
The image is of someone flushing with anger, heat rising to the neck: He got hot under the collar when I questioned his methods.
The phrase often suggests irritation that's visible but barely contained.
- angryFeeling strong displeasure
- furiousExtremely angry
- seeing redOvercome by fury
- irritatedSlightly angered or bothered
- flusteredNervously upset and confused
hot and bothered · agitated · steamed · fuming · blood boiling · fit to burst · riled · bent out of shape · worked up · embarrassed · indignant · up in arms · annoyed · red-faced · bothered · heated · tense · frustrated
- fire idiomsplay with fire, fight fire with fire, fan the flames, add fuel to fire, on fire
hot under collarcalm
Free from agitation
cool as a cucumber · composed · unruffled · tranquil · serene
hot under collarcool and collected
keeping one's cool · level-headed · poised · self-possessed · unfazed
hotter, hottest, hotly, hotness, under, collar, collars, collared, collaring