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Irish

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get (someone's) Irish up

To become or cause to become angry, hostile, defensive, or irritable. John got his Irish up when his parents brought up the subject of college. Election season always gets my dad's Irish up.

See also: get, Irish, up

Irish hint

A straightforward statement. I'm positive I'm getting the promotion—the boss gave me an Irish hint to that effect!

See also: hint, Irish

get someone's dander up

 and get someone's back up; get someone's hackles up; get someone's Irish up; put someone's back up

Fig. to make someone get angry. (Fixed order.) Now, don't get your dander up. Calm down. I insulted him and really got his hackles up. Bob had his Irish up all day yesterday. I don't know what was wrong. Now, now, don't get your back up. I didn't mean any harm.

See also: dander, get, up

luck of the Irish

luck associated with the Irish people. (Also said as a catch phrase for any kind of luck.) Bill: How did you manage to do it, Jeff. Jeff: It's the luck of the Irish, I guess.

See also: Irish, luck, of

luck of the devil

Also, luck of the Irish. Extraordinarily good fortune, as in You've the luck of the devil-that ball landed just on the line, or Winning the lottery-that's the luck of the Irish. These superstitious attributions of good fortune date from the first half of the 1900s.

See also: devil, luck, of