tear hair

tear (one's) hair

To be extremely anxious, worried, frustrated, or stressed out about something. We've been tearing our hair trying to figure out what's causing the server outages. The kids have been out of control all morning long—they've got me tearing my hair!See also: hair, tear

tear (one's) hair out

To be extremely anxious, worried, frustrated, or stressed out about something. We've been tearing our hair out trying to figure out what's causing the server outages. The kids have been out of control all morning long—they've got me tearing my hair out!See also: hair, out, tear

tear one's hair (out)

Fig. to be anxious, frustrated, or angry. I was so nervous, I was about to tear my hair. I had better get home. My parents will be tearing their hair out.See also: hair, tear

tear (one's) hair

To be greatly upset or distressed.See also: hair, tear

tear one's hair, to

To show extreme anger, frustration, or grief. In ancient times it was customary to show grief by literally pulling at one’s hair. The practice was referred to by Homer in the Iliad, with reference to Agamemnon, and appears in other ancient writings. Shakespeare used it in Troilus and Cressida (4.2), “Tear my bright hair, and scratch my praised cheeks,” and Thackeray in The Rose and the Ring (1855), “Tearing her hair, crying and bemoaning herself.” Today we are more apt to use it for anger or vexation, and entirely figuratively.See also: tear