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get one's back up

idiom

: to become angry or annoyed and want to fight or argue
He gets his back up and becomes defensive whenever someone questions his work.

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“Get one's back up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/get%20one%27s%20back%20up. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.

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