To go off in a great rage; sometimes, to die.

1

1825.  Yah! how [the Indians] pulled foot, when they seed us commin’. Most off the handle, some o’ the tribe, I guess.—John Neal, ‘Brother Jonathan,’ i. 107

2

1833.  Ant Keziah was in such a pucker to have everything nice, I didn’t know but she would fly off the handle.—Seba Smith, ‘Major Jack Downing,’ p. 216 (1860).

3

1833.  See LIMPSY.

4

1843–4.  He flies right off the handle for nothing.—Haliburton, ‘The Attaché’ (Farmer).

5

a. 1854.  Flying into a passion is one thing; flying off the handle is another.—Dow, Jun., ‘Patent Sermons,’ iii. 252.

6

1862.  

        For growed-up folks like us ’t would be a scandle,
When we git sarsed, to fly right off the handle.
Lowell, ‘Biglow Papers,’ 2nd Series, No. 2.    

7

1888.  “She is liable to fly off handle,” remarked Amy. “Yes,” replied Mildred, “I too have observed her tendency to disassociate herself from the hilt with winged celerity.”—Pittsburg Chronicle, n.d. (Farmer).

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