to get in a gaum
- idiom
- UK
:
ponerse nervioso
- Whenever she faces a tight deadline, she tends to get in a gaum and forgets what to do next.
Examples
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He often gets in a gaum when too many people are talking at once.
-
Don't get in a gaum over small issues!
-
Try not to get in a gaum if your plans change unexpectedly; just adapt as best you can.
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She often gets in a gaum about her work.
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He often gets in a gaum when too many people are talking at once.
-
Try not to get in a gaum if your plans change unexpectedly; just adapt as best you can.
-
Whenever she faces a tight deadline, she tends to get in a gaum and forgets what to do next.
Synonyms
4
9.9
To become too upset about a small problem
2
9.1
To become upset or worried about small things
2
9.9
To become very upset about a small problem
1
9.8
To become upset or worried about something not important
1
9.6
To become very worried or upset about small things
1
9.5
Become very upset about something small
To become very upset about something small
Get very upset or worried about something small
To become very upset or worried about a small problem
Get very upset and confused quickly
Antonyms
How Upset
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun 'gaum' is not a recognizable or compositional English word, so even if a learner knows 'get', 'in', and 'a', they cannot derive the specific meaning 'become confused or upset' from the parts. Although the frame 'get in a ___' can sometimes signal entering an emotional state (e.g., 'get in a flap'), the unknown/dialectal lexeme makes the expression idiomatic and unpredictable for a B1 learner.
Etymology
Get in a gaum may come from the image of your thoughts being stuck like sticky gaum or 'gum' that holds things in place, so you cannot move or think easily. That's why when your mind is stuck and you feel upset or flustered, you 'get in a gaum'—in other words, you 'become confused or upset'.