- Meaning
- This idiom is a humorous, slightly exasperated command to stay calm, patient, or composed, often directed at someone who is overly excited, angry, or impatient, as if telling them not to ‘take their shirt off’ in a frenzy or fight. It conveys a call to restrain impulsive reactions and maintain cool-headedness, used in casual, social, or familial contexts to defuse emotional intensity or haste. The phrase carries a playful, mildly scolding tone, reflecting cultural appreciation for humor in calming tensions and the value of emotional control in heated moments. It resonates in informal settings where friendly rebukes help restore balance, capturing the human tendency to react impulsively and the need for a lighthearted nudge toward patience. The idiom’s colloquial charm and physical imagery make it a staple in relaxed, interpersonal exchanges, often fostering a sense of camaraderie through its teasing tone.
- Origin
- The phrase likely emerged in mid-19th-century America, tied to the imagery of removing one’s shirt as a prelude to a physical fight or in a burst of reckless enthusiasm, a common trope in frontier and urban brawls. An early use appears in an 1854 *New York Herald* article, where a character is told to ‘keep your shirt on’ during a barroom dispute. The idiom gained traction in the late 19th century, reflecting America’s rough-and-tumble culture, as seen in Mark Twain’s *Huckleberry Finn* (1884), which captures spirited vernacular. Its popularity was boosted by the rise of vaudeville and early 20th-century dime novels, where such expressions spiced up dialogue. The phrase’s use grew in American English during the 1920s, a period of vibrant slang, and spread to British and Commonwealth English through American films and radio comedies, notably in screwball comedies like those of the 1930s. Its adoption was fueled by its vivid imagery, evoking a comical rush to disrobe, and its applicability to calming impulsive behavior in fast-paced modern life, ensuring its enduring use across English-speaking cultures, from playgrounds to office banter.
- Variants
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- Keep your shirt on
- Keep yer shirt on
- Hold your shirt on
- Don’t take your shirt off
- Examples
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- Keep your shirt on, we’ll leave for the concert when everyone’s ready.
- Keep yer shirt on, I’m fixing the computer as fast as I can.
- Hold your shirt on, the pizza delivery is on its way.
- Don’t take your shirt off—we’re just debating, not fighting!
- She told him to keep his shirt on when he got upset over the game score.
- Keep your shirt on, the meeting’s only delayed by ten minutes.
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