student asking question

Help me find some examples with 'off the deep end'. And what does it mean?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

"Off the deep end" here is a metaphor. Literally, to go "off the deep end" means to dive into the deep side of a pool or a body of water where it is really deep. Ex: Don't let that kid jump off the deep end of the pool, she doesn't know how to swim. Used metaphorically, the expression "off the deep end" can be used to refer to something risky, dangerous, or uncertain, or it can describe when someone's mind stops working normally because they have lost control and have become very anxious. Ex: He went off the deep end when he started dating her. "Off the deep end" in other contexts can also mean that someone has suddenly become very emotional. Ex: When he saw the mess that they made, he went off the deep end.

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