to get het up
1
9.6
- phrasal verb
- Archaic
:
ponerse agitado
- Now, listen, tiger, don't get all het up.
Examples
-
However, we have taken the active decision not to get too het up about it or back ourselves into an ideological corner from which there is no retreat.
Blog text (10) -
Only you get all het-up.
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I don't know why I get so het up.
-
- I don't know what you're getting het up about.
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Though I have come to understand how people can get het-up, because way back in one of my fandoms, I finally succumbed to denial when one character was killed off: it really was "I don't care, I'm sticking my fingers in my ears and going 'la-la-la' because no way.
Blog text (19) -
It's not worth getting het up over minor disagreements.
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Whenever she hears that news, she gets het up unnecessarily.
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He tends to get het up about things that aren't really important.
Synonyms
143
7.5
To suddenly become very angry, excited, or surprised
57
5.6
To become very upset or angry because of something
49
7.2
To suddenly lose control and become very angry or upset
20
4.2
Become angry or excited during a discussion
11
6.8
To suddenly become very angry
11
9.2
React with strong fear or excitement and lose control
9
3.7
To make your muscles tight when you feel nervous
8
8.1
To lose control because you are very excited or angry
7
5.3
To suddenly get very angry without warning
4
9.9
To become too upset about a small problem
3
7.7
Feel nervous and tense in stressful situations
2
9.9
To become very upset about a small problem
2
9.9
To become very angry and act in a wild, out of control way
2
8.6
Suddenly get very angry and show it
1
9.5
Become very upset about something small
1
8.6
Become very upset or excited and act confused suddenly
1
9.3
To suddenly feel nervous or worried
1
3.9
Become very excited and happy about something like a song or a pet
To become very annoyed or frustrated by something small and repeated
To suddenly become very angry
To become suddenly very angry and upset in a dramatic way
To become angry or upset
To feel very worried and unable to relax
Antonyms
How Agitated
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to become overly excited or agitated' is directly derivable by composition: 'get' (become/undergo) + 'het' (heated/agitated) with the particle 'up' intensifying the state, following a common English pattern (e.g. 'get worked up', 'get upset'). Although 'het' is dialectal/rare and may be unknown to many learners, if a B1 learner knows the constituent meanings the overall sense is predictable.
Etymology
The phrase get het up may come from an old local word het meaning 'hot' or 'heated'. The image is someone getting hot, red, and upset—like a kettle about to boil—so get het up came to mean 'become angry or overexcited'.