Go Off

Go off is another way to say "Angrily complain" or "Freak out." It may describe a tantrum that occurs in-person or online, especially on social media.

The phrase gained popularity in the early-2000s and comes from how explosions "go off" and obliterate nearby objects. The person going off is like a bomb whose fuse runs out and explodes into a fit that affects bystanders.

There are a variety of reasons a person may go off. He may have had a bad day and received poor customer service, she may be poor and unable to receive a refund for a purchased item, or he may just be entitled and feels like everything should go his way, then throw a tantrum when it doesn't.

Going off isn't always a bad thing, as some people go off to vent justified frustrations or confront people who are behaving terribly. Regardless of the reason, these incidents are almost always caught on camera by bystanders and eventually go viral.