‘Set My Teeth On Edge, Meaning & Context

The idiom “set my teeth on edge” means to cause someone to feel a strong sense of irritation or annoyance such as the feeling of discomfort that can be caused by a sour or grating noise.

The idiom can be used to describe a wide range of things that cause people to feel uncomfortable or upset. Some common examples include:

• High-pitched noises, such as a dentist’s drill or a child’s shrieking
• Grating sounds, such as nails on a chalkboard or a knife scraping against a plate
• Foul smells, such as rotten eggs or garbage
• Disgusting sights, such as spiders or worms
• Rude or offensive remarks

When something sets someone’s teeth on edge, it can cause them to feel a physical reaction, such as a tingling or clenching of the teeth. It can also make them feel angry, anxious, or disgusted.

The phrase is usually used in a figurative sense, but it can also be used in a literal sense. For example, if you eat something sour, you might literally feel your teeth on edge.

It can be used to describe a wide range of emotions, from mild annoyance to extreme anger.

The phrase can be used to describe both physical and emotional sensations. For example, you might say that the sound of nails on a chalkboard sets your teeth on edge, or that the rude remark set your teeth on edge.

Origin of the Idiom

The exact origin of the idiom “set my teeth on edge” is unknown. However, it is thought to have originated in the 14th century. The earliest recorded use of the phrase is in the Wyclif Bible, which was translated into English in 1382. In the Wyclif Bible, the phrase: “and the teeth of sones wexen on egge” is used to describe the feeling of discomfort that can be caused by sour food.

Shakespeare Connection

The idiom “set my teeth on edge” is used in two of Shakespeare’s plays: Henry IV, Part 1 and The Winter’s Tale.

In Henry IV, Part 1, the character of Hotspur uses the phrase to express his distaste for bad poetry. He says:

“And that would set my teeth nothing but an edge, nothing so much as mincing poetry.”

In The Winter’s Tale, the character of Leontes uses the phrase to describe the sound of music that he finds unpleasant.

“The music of his tongue hath set my pugging tooth on edge.”

Here, Leontes is saying that the sound of the music is so unpleasant to him that it makes his teeth feel like they are on edge. The phrase is used figuratively to mean to cause someone to feel disgust or revulsion.

The multiple use of the idiom in Shakespeare’s plays suggests that it was already a well-established phrase in the English language by the 16th century. The fact that Shakespeare used the phrase in two different plays also suggests that it was a phrase that he was familiar with and that he thought was effective in conveying a sense of irritation or annoyance.

Set my teeth on edge

Other Uses of the Idiom

The idiom “set one’s teeth on edge” has been used in a variety of ways over the centuries. It has been used in songs, poems, book titles, and other cultural phenomena. It has also been used in everyday language to describe a wide range of things that cause people to feel uncomfortable or upset.

Uses of the Idiom in Normal Conversation

• The sound of his nails on the chalkboard set my teeth on edge.
• The smell of the garbage in the kitchen set my teeth on edge.
• Her rude remark set my teeth on edge.
• The sight of the spider crawling across the floor set my teeth on edge.
• His constant complaining was setting my teeth on edge.
• The dentist’s drill set my teeth on edge.
• The grating noise of the jackhammer set my teeth on edge.
• The foul smell of the sewage plant set my teeth on edge.
• The disgusting sight of the open wound set my teeth on edge.
• The offensive remark about my weight set my teeth on edge.

Conclusion

The idiom “set one’s teeth on edge” is a vivid way of describing the feeling of extreme irritation or annoyance. It is a phrase that is still in use today, and it can be used to describe a wide range of things that cause people to feel uncomfortable or upset.