keep/lose your temper

keep (one's) temper

To refrain from becoming angered, enraged, or upset due to some provocation; to maintain control of one's composure despite being angry or upset. You're a good driver, but you need to do a better job of keeping your temper when other drivers make mistakes. It's hard to keep my temper with the kids after being kept awake by them all night long.

See also: keep, temper

lose (one's) temper

To become angered, enraged, or upset due to some provocation; to have an outburst upon losing one's patience. I'm usually a pretty calm person, but whenever I start driving, I find I lose my temper at the slightest inconvenience. When we were kids, my dad lost his temper a lot, but he's mellowed out since then.

See also: lose, temper

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

keep/lose your ˈtemper (with somebody)

manage/fail to control your anger: You must learn to keep your temper. ♢ He loses his temper very quickly if you argue with him.

See also: keep, lose, temper

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