What does Fly off the?

Answer 1

It means to become so enraged that you lose your self control and become dangerous to others. Origin:

From "Why You Say It" by Webb Garrison (Rutledge Hill Press, Nashville, Tenn.)

"Fly off the handle - If you've ever seen a person 'fly off the handle,' you may have been impressed at the energy and speed involved with that eruption of anger. Frontiersmen found it hard to control their tempers when tools suddenly failed them. A common cause of such a turn of events was the shrinkage of wood - universally used to tool handles. After having hung in a shed for months, the handle of a hoe or a rake was likely to come off after a few strokes. In the case of an ax, badly worn or shrunken wood is positively dangerous because the head of the tool can come loose at the first lick. When the blade of an ax flies off the handle, it endangers the user and everyone standing nearby. That makes it almost as great a source of danger as a violent explosion of temper."

I think that fly off handle means become suddenly angry!

To get very angry and lose control.

To react angrily in such a way that is unnecessary or sudden. It comes from the reaction of touching a pan handle that is too hot and cursing. Maybe the person is already stressed and needs somewhere to vent their anger.