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To put one in a position or situation where their options are limited. Every night after school is a battle—I basically have to drive the kids to the wall to get them to do their homework. Of course that team won the big game when faced with missing the playoffs—they perform best in situations that drive them to the
wall. See also: drive, to, wall Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved. Click on the arrows to change the translation direction. Bilingual Dictionaries
Semi-bilingual Dictionaries Dutch–English English–Arabic English–Catalan English–Chinese (Simplified) English–Chinese (Traditional) English–Czech English–Danish English–Korean English–Malay English–Norwegian English–Russian English–Thai English–Turkish English–Ukrainian English–Vietnamese informal : to make (someone) irritated, angry, or crazy Your constant tapping is driving me up the wall! Dictionary Entries Near drive (someone) up a/the wallCite this Entry“Drive (someone) up a/the wall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drive%20%28someone%29%20up%20a%2Fthe%20wall. Accessed 15 Nov. 2022. ShareSubscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! Merriam-Webster unabridged Definition 1: To make someone very irritated or angry. Definition 2: A sexual invitation to inform ones partner that they are crazy for them. That they want to feel crazy for them. Other definitions : partner , love , sex , crazy , angry , feel , irritated , invitation , one Get the Drive me up the wall mug. Advertise here for $5/day Definition 1: To make someone very irritated or angry. Definition 2: A sexual invitation to inform ones partner that they are crazy for them. That they want to feel crazy for them. Other definitions : partner , love , sex , crazy , angry , feel , irritated , invitation , one Get the Drive me up the wall mug. Advertise here for $5/day What Is the Origin of the Saying "Drive Someone up the Wall"?The term "drive someone up the wall" means to annoy somebody a lot. 
In this idiom, the word "wall" is a metaphor for a barrier preventing an escape from an annoyance. The annoyance is so bad, it drives the person to claw their way up the wall to get away. The notion of a metaphorical wall preventing an escape from a situation dates back to at least the 16th century. The following quotation is from King Henry VII's Chancellor of England Sir Thomas More:
The full saying "drive [someone] up the wall" has been used since the early 20th century, but it has only been in common usage since the 1960s (evidence). Competing TheoryThis saying comes from the image of an addict deprived of drugs literally trying to climb the wall of their cell in desperation. Supporters of this theory note that the term came to prominence in the 1960s, when drug use was rife. Previous and Next SayingsTest Your Knowledge of English Proverbs and IdiomsReady for the Test?More Proverbs, Sayings, and IdiomsHelp Us Improve Grammar Monster
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Next lesson > What does drive her up the wall mean?Definition of 'drive someone up the wall'
If you say that something or someone is driving you up the wall, you are emphasizing that they annoy and irritate you.
Where did the phrase drive up the wall come from?This saying comes from the image of an addict deprived of drugs literally trying to climb the wall of their cell in desperation. Supporters of this theory note that the term came to prominence in the 1960s, when drug use was rife.
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What does drive to the wall mean?
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