You get on my wick

Definitions

• express annoyance
  To convey irritation or frustration with someone's behavior or actions

• provoke someone
  To intentionally annoy or provoke someone

Examples of You get on my wick

• She is always criticizing me and undermining my ideas in meetings. Her nagging behavior is really starting to get on my wick.

  The phrase "getting on someone's wick" means to irritate or annoy someone, to the point where they are becoming angry or frustrated. In this context, the speaker is saying that the person's constant criticism is starting to irritate them a lot.

• My colleague's constant chatter and interrupting during meetings is really getting on my wick.

  This idiom means that the speaker is becoming increasingly irritated or annoyed by someone's behavior. The phrase "get on my wick" is a humorous and informal way of expressing this feeling, implying that the irritant is causing a spark or irritation in the speaker's nerves, much like an old-fashioned smoldering wick might cause a spark in a fire.

• A colleague at work constantly interrupts me during meetings and makes it challenging for me to focus on the discussion. I feel irritated and frustrated by their behavior, and I find myself getting annoyed easily around them. I might say, "You get on my wick," to convey my feelings of irritation and frustration.

  "You get on my wick" is a British slang phrase that means "you annoy me" or "you irritate me." Its origins are uncertain, but it dates back to the late 19th century and is believed to have originated from the old practice of lighting a lamp or candle by inserting a wick into a vessel of oil or wax. If the wick is too long or too thick, it may smoke excessively and cause irritation, much like how someone's persistent behavior might cause irritation in another person. In the example given, the phrase is used to convey the speaker's frustration with a colleague's persistent behavior that hinders their focus during meetings.

Conclusion

The idiom "You get on my wick" is used to express annoyance or frustration with someone's behavior. It can also be used to indicate that someone is intentionally provoking or irritating another person.

Origin of "You get on my wick"

The origin of the idiom "You get on my wick" is unclear, but it is believed to have originated in British English. The term "wick" refers to the wick of a candle, which is used to draw up the oil or wax for burning. When someone "gets on your wick," it is as if they are irritating you to the point of extinguishing your patience, much like blowing out a candle. This idiom is often used in informal or colloquial language to express frustration or annoyance with someone's actions.

Example: "I can't stand it when he interrupts me all the time. He really gets on my wick."