fit to be tied

AI In plain words

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Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.

fit to be tied

/fɪt tuː biː ˈtaɪ̯d/ UK
/ˌfɪt tə biː ˈtaɪ̯d/ UK
/fɪt tu bi ˈtaɪ̯d/ Canada, US
/ˌfɪt tə bi ˈtaɪ̯d/ Canada, US
/-ˈtʌɪ̯d/ Canada
/fɪt tʉː biː ˈtɑe̯d/ Australia
/ˌfɪt tə biː ˈtɑe̯d/ Australia
/fət tʉː biː ˈtaɪ̯d/ New Zealand
/ˌfət tə biː ˈtaɪ̯d/ New Zealand
/fɪt tʉ bi ˈtaɪ̯d/ Scotland
/ˌfɪt tə bi ˈtaɪ̯d/ Scotland
/-ˈtʌi̯d/ Scotland
/-ˈtəi̯d/ Scotland
/fɪʈ ʈuː biː ˈʈajɖ/ India
/ˌfɪʈ ʈo biː ˈʈajɖ/ India

Where it comes from

From fit (“proper, suitable; prepared, ready”, adjective) + to (infinitive-marking particle) + be (auxiliary passive-voice verb) + tied (“attached or fastened by string or the like; bound”, adjective), probably referring to someone being so agitated or angry that they need to be physically restrained to prevent harm to themselves and/or others.

adjective

idiomatic, informal, not comparable Very agitated or distressed; also, very angry; enraged, furious. […] Mrs. Pepper reprimanded the master in the middle of the Park, before all the quality—Sunday afternoon, and the band playing, and the officers laughing, and he fit to be tied.

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