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What is the Meaning of the Expression “Gets My Goat”?

What does the expression “Gets My Goat” mean?


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What does the expression “gets my goat” really mean? Well, if you use the phrase in a sentence such as “He definitely gets my goat.” then that person simply irritates the hell out of you. You can actually change the subject of your annoyance by using the pronoun “that”. By doing so, you will be able to express your irritation with a certain object or event instead.

It may sound irrational to involve a goat with someone’s anger but that’s just one of the countless mysteries in the English vocabulary.

The Roots of the Expression

The early part of the 1900s is the said to be the time when this expression was born. A lot of people are saying that the phrase first came out from an American’s mouth even though different races came to the country during that era. A few are also stating that the “goat” in the expression might actually be “goad” which means “to annoy”.

Does the Expression have a French Origin?

The possibility that the expression came from the French phrase “prendre la chèvre” which means ““to take the goat” is not a famous theory at all. The French idiom actually means stealing somebody’s source of livelihood which happens to be a goat during the old times in France. This informs us of the country’s history but it can’t be considered as the origin of the expression that we’re talking about.

Origin from Horse Racing

Horse racing also belongs to the possible roots of the expression “gets my goat" That is because goats used to serve as comforters for horses before they go out for the race. Thus, separating the goat from the horse will surely make the animal uncomfortable and may end up losing the competition.

This “buddy system” is actually being observed until now. Other kinds of animals are just added to the options that a horse can choose from. Nevertheless, stealing away the horse’s companion still has the same effect on the animal so may be that’s the reason why this “gets my goat” origin is included in the list.
Oct 20th, 2012 at 7:05 AM
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