To fly off the handle means to suddenly lose your temper and overreact compared with what triggered the reaction.
The phrase comes from the image of an axe head flying off its handle while being swung. The sudden loss of control became a metaphor for an emotional outburst.
The phrase comes from the image of an axe head flying off its handle while being swung. The sudden loss of control became a metaphor for an emotional outburst.
He tends to fly off the handle when small mistakes happen at work.