go off the deep end

1. To act recklessly or hysterically: “The students were behaving themselves at the party, but then a couple of kids started to go off the deep end.”

Idioms and Phrases

Become unduly excited, overwrought, or angry. For example, When he heard about John's smashing into his car, he went off the deep end . [c. 1920] Also see in deep , def. 2.

Be irrationally carried away, act irresponsibly or heedlessly. For example, Just because you like her looks doesn't mean you should go off the deep end and propose . [c. 1920] In both of these colloquial usages deep end alludes to the deep end of a swimming pool.

Related Words

• freak out 
• go off 
• lose it