Raise the roof

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Quit your belly aching

Origin of Phrases - R

 

Raise the roof

Meaning: To shout very loudly.

 

Example: If you scratch that car, your father will raise the roof.

 

Origin: In my early childhood when I was misbehaving my grandmother told me that if my granddad knew what I was doing he would "raise the roof". My grandfather was a very handy guy indeed, and in my mind I imagined him using jacks or something to literally raise the roof off the house.

That reprimand was completely lost on me. I asked my grandmother why he was going to raise the roof. She told me it was just a figure of speech.

Actually,

This is a comical suggestion that someone will explode in anger thus raising the roof.

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