Decision & Control - Losing Control

Master English idioms that relate to losing control, like "out of hand" and "go to town".

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out of hand [phrase]

impossible or very hard to control

Ex:

to [have] half a mind to [phrase]

to say that one will do something even though they might not really intending to

Ex: I have half a mind to sell all my belongings and travel the world .

weak in the knees [phrase]

feeling strong emotions, like fear or anxiety, in a way that makes it difficult for one to stand

Ex: As he walked towards her , his charming smile made her feel weak in the knees .

to [go] to town [phrase]

to engage in an activity or pursuit with great enthusiasm, energy, or extravagance, often to an excessive or intense degree

to [keep] {one's} eyes off {sb/sth} [phrase]

to refrain from or stop looking at a person or thing

Ex: The students could n't keep their eyes off the fascinating wildlife during their field trip to the zoo .

to [throw] {one's} (toys|rattle) out of the cot [phrase]

to lose one's temper and behave irrationally

Ex: The politician 's controversial tweet had the opposition party throwing their rattle out of the cot with heated accusations and insults .

to [put] {one's} life in {one's} hands [phrase]

to entrust someone with one's life

Ex:

to [come] out (swinging|fighting) [phrase]

to respond or react to something in a forceful manner

Ex: In the heated political debate , the candidate came out swinging , attacking their opponents ' policies and presenting their own vision with passion and conviction .

to [get|be] carried away [phrase]

to be unable to control one's behavior due to a strong emotion such as anger, excitement, etc.

Ex: He was carried away by the emotions of the romantic movie and could n't help but shed a tear .

off the rails [phrase]

used to say that someone is behaving in a way that is wild, irrational, or unconventional

Ex: He strayed off the rails due to his substance abuse problem .

to [hit|press|push] the panic button [phrase]

to panic or respond with extreme fear or urgency in a situation, often without thinking logically or rationally

Ex: Upon hearing the news of the impending storm , the residents hit the panic button , stocking up on supplies and making necessary preparations .

Decision & Control
Under Control	Out of Control	Losing Control	Being in Charge
Force & Obligation	Obedience	Choices & Decisions	Decisiveness
Indecisiveness	Dependency