IdiomDaily LifeEnglish

drive someone up the wall

Meaning: To annoy someone intensely.

Example: “That dripping faucet is driving me up the wall.”

Origin: The image is of someone so frantic they would try to climb the walls. The phrase is found from the mid-20th century.

Equivalents in other languages

See all 3 languages side by side →

More English idioms

Explore another collection: Proverbs

Short sayings of timeless wisdom from more than 50 cultures, each with its meaning and origin.

Browse all proverbs →

Keep exploring

Explore all idioms →