go spare

Like this video? Subscribe to our free daily email and get a new idiom video every day!

go spare

To become very angry or irritated. Primarily heard in Australia. I'm going to go spare if this traffic doesn't start moving—I have a very important job interview to get to!
See also: go, spare
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

go spare

BRITISH, INFORMAL
1. If someone goes spare, they become extremely angry. He had arranged a mortgage on his house for three hundred thousand. Katrina would go spare if she found out.
2. If something is going spare, it is available to be used because nobody else is using it. His car is a second-hand Mercedes that was going spare after a senior executive was made redundant.
See also: go, spare
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

go spare

become extremely angry or distraught. British informal
1991 Roddy Doyle The Van Remind me to replace this one…Veronica'll go spare if she goes to get it on Sunday and it's not there.
See also: go, spare
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

go ˈspare

(British English, informal) be very angry: When she found the children drawing on the walls, she went spare.
See also: go, spare
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
See also:
References in periodicals archive ?
I can't imagine not having a daily newspaper to read, and what about Sunday morning without the ECHO and my cup of tea, I would go spare.
Your Poems
"If you are waiting to be the king of the United Kingdom, and you've waited a very long time, you genuinely have to engage with something or you'd go spare." Former environment minister Michael Meacher said he and the Prince "would consort together quietly" to affect policy on climate change and GM crops.
Charles in grammar school bid: Blunkett
It aims to free-up space for the 375,000 families in England and Wales, who live in overcrowded accommodation, while approaching 1m rooms go spare in under-occupied social housing, the UK government said.
PS3.4m left in pot to help cushion welfare reforms; 'Scare stories' blasted
Mrs Ward, Dumbarton IF somebody doesn't pull the plug on that Go Compare commercial soon, I'll go spare, I'll go spare!
your texts
But let a Labour Government spend money to improve lives of people in inner city Liverpool and they go spare.
The Debate: Are demolition plans right for Liverpool: YES: We need to create real choice in housing; Steve Munby is a Councillor for Riverside Ward and Labour Regeneration Spokesperson on Liverpool City Council
I can imagine him as an old man playing dominoes in the corner of pub and if he's not winning he'll go spare.
Players hold the aces in Premiership power game
I own about three and every time I wear them my friends go spare at me but I still love them.
Post People: Interview by email
It says the removal of the spare room subsidy aims to free up space for the 375,000 families in England and Wales, who live in overcrowded accommodation, while around one million rooms go spare in under-occupied social housing.
Councils hit back in money row
I daren't tell my boyfriend about it because he'd go spare.
I think my girlfriend may be bisexual
Ferguson will go spare when he sees bookies quoting odds about the likelihood of his star player taking more early baths, but that's not our problem.
Football: Look to Anfield for value
I use it as a paperweight as I'd go spare with bills staring me in the face like that.
What's in your...desk; Glan Conwy-based bestselling author Anita Anderson reveals all
"I'd go spare if my family - I have two older brothers and a younger sister - was like Billy's.
I'm a very friendly Neighbour now; INTERVIEW; Jesse Spencer
If I was to do this during his sport, he'd go spare. We do have another telly in the bedroom, but I really don't want to be up there watching on my own.
He takes control of the telly remote
"There are only about 20 episodes left and they drip-feed it so the public don't go spare and say 'where has High Road gone?'""
SOAP'S HIGH NOON; Scottish show is finished says star
A IF this text had been from your guy's ex-girlfriend or even one of his mates, then I think you might have had reason to go spare. But it's his sister for pity's sake.
Just Joan: Phone message made me mad
Idioms browser ?
Full browser ?