hornet

*mad as a hornet and *mad as a wet hen; *mad as hell

very angry. (*Also: as ~. Use hell with caution.) You make me so angry. I'm as mad as a hornet. What you said made Mary mad as a wet hen. Those terrorists make me mad as hell.

See also: mad

stir someone up

Fig. to get someone excited; to get someone angry. (Fig. on stir something up.) The march music really stirred the audience up. The march stirred up the audience.

See also: stir, up

stir something up 

1. Lit. to mix something by stirring. Please stir the pancake batter up before you use it. Please stir up the batter.

2. Fig. to cause trouble. Why are you always trying to stir trouble up? Are you stirring up trouble again?

See also: stir, up

stir up a hornet's nest

Fig. to create a lot of trouble. (Fig. on stir something up .) If you say that to her, you will be stirring up a hornet's nest. There is no need to stir up a hornet's nest.

See also: nest, stir, up

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a hornet's nest

a situation or subject which causes a lot of people to become angry and upset

Usage notes: A hornet is a large insect that stings people badly.

His remarks on the role of women have stirred up a hornet's nest amongst feminists. Animal cloning is a real hornet's nest.

See also: nest

be as mad as a hornet  (American)

to be very angry

Usage notes: A hornet is a large insect which stings people.

He was as mad as a hornet when he heard what she said about him.

See also: mad

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stir up somebody/something also stir up a hornet's nest

to cause a situation that upsets many people One official claimed that foreign activists were stirring up trouble. The threat of censorship stirred up a hornet's nest of criticism on the Internet.

See also: stir, up