what's eating you

Idioms  

1. Also, what's bugging you. What is annoying or bothering you? For example, We've conceded just about every point, so what's eating you now? or You're in a terrible mood—what's bugging you? The first slangy term, dating from the late 1800s, presumably uses eat in the sense of “consume”; the colloquial variant, from about 1940, uses bug in the sense of “annoy.” Also see what's with.

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Example Sentences

“Hey, what’s eating you, Spender? Hey?” they asked.

From "The Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury

"I know what's eating you, old fellow," Will thought to himself.

From The Call of the Beaver Patrol or, A Break in the Glacier by Sherman, V. T.

"I—I 'ain't got much of anything to say, Max, except I—I thought maybe you'd tell me what's eating you, dearie."

From Every Soul Hath Its Song by Hurst, Fannie

"Aw, what's eating you?" was his amiable demand.

From The Firefly of France by Angellotti, Marion Polk

Are you going to tell what’s eating you, or aren’t you?”

From Nan Sherwood's Summer Holidays by Carr, Annie Roe