Give someone the cold shoulder

[0506] Rub someone the wrong way

🎲 Get under someone's skin
English Idioms
All Idioms

Explanation

  • To annoy, irritate, or bother someone, often unintentionally, through one's words, actions, or personality.

Origin

  • The idiom evokes the image of stroking an animal's fur (especially a cat's) against the natural direction of its growth.
  • This action is typically unpleasant or irritating for the animal.
  • The phrase, dating to the 19th century, applies this concept metaphorically to interpersonal interactions that cause irritation or annoyance.

Synonyms & Related Expressions

  • Annoy
  • Irritate
  • Bother
  • Get on someone's nerves
  • Irk / Vex (more formal/literary)
  • Grate on someone
  • Get under someone's skin (often implies deeper or more intense annoyance)

Alternatives

Slang/Informal:

  • Get on my nerves
  • Piss me off / Tick me off (Vulgar/Informal stronger annoyance)
  • Grind my gears (annoy me, often about pet peeves)
  • Bug someone (bother or annoy)
  • Wind me up (UK annoy or tease)

Vulgar/Emphatic:

  • Really fucking pisses me off.
  • Gets on my last fucking nerve.

Milder/Standard:

  • Annoy
  • Irritate
  • Bother
  • Displease
  • Find someone grating

Situational Appropriateness

  • Informal to semi-formal.
  • Common way to express mild to moderate annoyance or dislike.

Misunderstanding Warnings

  • The physical action of rubbing is purely metaphorical. Learners need to understand it refers to causing annoyance or irritation.

Examples

  • His constant bragging really rubs me the wrong way.
  • I don't know why, but her high-pitched laugh just rubs me the wrong way.
  • Sorry if my comment rubbed you the wrong way; I didn't mean to offend.

Dialogue

Jane: I'm trying to like the new team member, but something about him...

Tom: What? Does he rub you the wrong way?

Jane: Yeah, exactly! I can't pinpoint it. Maybe he's just a bit too loud.

Tom: I get that. He's very energetic.

Social Media Examples

  • Tweet: Unpopular opinion maybe, but people who constantly interrupt really rub me the wrong way. #petpeeves #annoying
  • Facebook Post: Tried watching that new popular show, but the main character just rubbed me the wrong way. Couldn't get into it.
  • Forum Comment: Am I the only one rubbed the wrong way by this new policy update?

Response Patterns

  • Agreement/Shared feeling (I know what you mean, Yeah, that annoys me too).
  • Curiosity (Really? Why?, What is it about them?).
  • If accused: Defensiveness or apology (Oh, I didn't realize, Sorry, I didn't mean to).

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

  • Discussing the specific behavior or trait that causes the annoyance.
  • Sharing similar feelings or experiences with the person or behavior.
  • Trying to understand the reason for the negative reaction.

Conversation Starter

  • No.
  • Describes a feeling of irritation towards someone or something.

Intonation

  • Emphasis typically on rubs and wrong.
  • Something about him just RUBS me the WRONG way.

Generation Differences

  • Common and understood across most generations.

Regional Variations

  • Widely used in English-speaking countries.
Give someone the cold shoulder
🎲 Get under someone's skin