Search
Select the dictionary language
to throw one's toys out of the cot
to throw one's toys out of the cot
01
to lose one's temper and behave irrationally
Dialect
British
British![to [throw] {one's} (toys|rattle) out of the cot definition and meaning](https://cdn.langeek.co/photo/42602/original/?type=jpeg "to [throw] {one's} (toys|rattle) out of the cot definition and meaning")
Idiom
What is the origin of the idiom "throw one's toys out of the cot" and when to use it?
The origin of the idiom "throw one's toys out of the cot" is not definitively documented, but it is believed to have originated in British English. The expression draws from the image of a young child having a tantrum and throwing their toys out of their cot or crib in frustration. It is commonly employed when someone responds childishly or irrationally to a situation that may not warrant such an extreme response.
Examples
When the deal fell through, he threw his toys out of the cot and blamed everyone else.
