vent (one's) spleen
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vent (one's) spleen
To voice one's anger. Mom's been venting her spleen to me for an hour already. Apparently, Aunt Marie has wronged her yet again.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
vent one's spleen
Fig. to get rid of one's feelings of anger caused by someone or something by attacking someone or something else. Jack vented his spleen at his wife whenever things went badly at work. Peter vented his spleen on his car by kicking it when it broke down.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
vent one's spleen
Express one's anger, as in Some people see town council meetings as a place where they can vent their spleen. This expression uses vent in the sense of "air," and spleen in the sense of "anger," alluding to the fact that this organ was once thought to be the seat of ill humor and melancholy. [First half of 1600s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
vent your spleen
If you vent your spleen, you express your anger about something. He took up the attack, venting his spleen against the government for a full hour.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
vent your spleen
give free expression to your anger or displeasure. 2003 Guardian Woodgate 's clumsy challenge on the striker was not contested, though the visitors wasted little time in venting spleen at both the culpable Danish midfielder and, erroneously, the young pretender.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
vent your ˈspleen
(literary) express your anger in speech or writing: He vented his spleen on the assembled crowd.In the past, people believed that the spleen (= a small organ near the stomach that controls the quality of the blood cells) was responsible for making someone feel sad or bad-tempered. From this, it came to mean a person’s anger.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
vent one’s spleen
tv. to release one’s anger. I just feel like I have to vent my spleen at somebody.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.