Idiom
drive up the wall
Meanings
To make someone extremely annoyed, frustrated, or impatient.
Definition
To drive up the wall means to make someone extremely annoyed or frustrated.
If something drives you up the wall, it irritates you so much that you feel you can’t stand it anymore. People often say this about repeated noises, habits, or delays. It is an informal expression used in everyday conversation.
Examples
- That high-pitched buzzing noise drives up the wall.
- The kids’ constant arguing is driving up the wall.
- Waiting on hold for an hour drove up the wall.
- His habit of tapping the desk drives up the wall.
Common mistake
Learners often forget the object and say “It drives up the wall” instead of “It drives me/him/her up the wall.”
More at B2 level
- Bob's your uncle Used to say that something will be easy or will happen exactly as expected after a simple step.
- touch base To touch base means to briefly contact someone to share updates, confirm plans, or check progress.
- ballpark figure A ballpark figure is an approximate number or estimate, not an exact one.
- take the mickey To take the mickey means to mock someone or tease them in an unkind or cheeky way.
- cheap as chips Very cheap; costing very little money.
More idiom (verb phrase)s
- touch base To touch base means to briefly contact someone to share updates, confirm plans, or check progress.
- take the mickey To take the mickey means to mock someone or tease them in an unkind or cheeky way.
- drop the ball To drop the ball means to make a mistake or fail to do something you were responsible for.
- have a chinwag To have a chinwag means to have a relaxed, friendly chat with someone.
- face the music To accept and deal with the unpleasant consequences of what you have done or a difficult situation.