“Prendre la mouche” is a fun little French expression that translates literally to “to take the fly”. English meanings include:
- to get in a huff
- to get huffy
- to get ticked off easily
- to fly off the handle
- to go ballistic
- to blow a fuse
According to expressio.fr, the French meaning is to get angry easily, often over a futile reason.
Here’s an example sentence:
- Papa prend toujours la mouche quand il rate les sorties sur l’autoroute. Dad always flies off the handle when he misses exits on the highway.
Here are some more French expressions dealing with anger:
- sortir de ses gonds – Literally to leave one’s hinge
- péter un câble, péter un plomb, péter une durite – to below a cable, fuse, hose
