Daily English·Flip out
Well, there was a beautiful girl who wanted to marry a beautiful boy. He wasn't as rich as her. So when they told the beautiful girl's beautiful mother of their plans, she just flipped out.
Wow. 'flipped-out'. I know this phrase. It means 'go crazy'. It means lose your mind with anger.
Exactly. That's what she did. But she did most of it with her hands. Her beautiful face clearly wasn't made for flipping out.
What's the history of this word 'flip'?
Well, have you ever made a pancake?
No, but I've seen them being made in the street many times.
And you know the moment when they turn over the pancake?
Yes. But not necessarily turning over completely like that. We might, for example, say that a dolphin – you know that smooth grey sea creature – flips its tail.