go bananas
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go bananas
1. To become irrational or crazy. I'll end up going bananas if I have to work in this cubicle for one more day! I don't know what that weird old dude's blathering about—I think he's gone bananas. Have you gone bananas? Why would you go to the mall on the last Saturday before Christmas?
2. To express great excitement about something in an exuberant manner. The kids are going to go bananas when we tell them about the trip. I practically went bananas when I saw that I'd gotten an A on that impossible history test. Thanks to the loud music, the fans continued to go bananas during the time-out in the game.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
go bananas
Sl. to go mildly crazy. Sorry, I just went bananas for a minute. I thought he was going to go bananas.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
go bananas
Act crazy, as in When it comes to animal rights, some people go bananas. According to the lexicographer J. E. Lighter, this expression may allude to the similar go ape, in that apes and other primates are closely associated with eating bananas. [Slang; second half of 1900s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
go bananas
INFORMALIf someone goes bananas, they become very angry, upset or excited. I tried to ask about Jack. She went bananas. She sobbed and howled. The audience went bananas — anything for a bit of excitement.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
go bananas
1 become extremely angry or excited. 2 go mad. informal 1 1992 Jim Lehrer A Bus of My Own I predicted John Erlichman would probably go bananas when he testified the next day.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
go baˈnanas
(slang) become angry, crazy or silly: If I’m late again my Dad’ll go bananas. ♢ The clock’s going bananas (= isn’t working correctly).Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
go bananas
in. to go mildly crazy. (see also bananas.) I thought he was going to go bananas.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
go ape, to
To act frenzied with delight, fury, or some other strong emotion. Why such behavior should be described as apelike is not known. The slangy term dates from about 1950 and is used in such contexts as “The audience went ape over the new jazz combo,” or “The school board goes ape over the very mention of budget cuts.” A related and possibly derivative cliché is to go bananas, with roughly the same meaning. It dates from the 1960s. The National Public Radio show All Things Considered had it: “When you mention the word ‘nuclear,’ people start to go bananas” (April 13, 1983). See also go ballistic.
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer