wax, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

wax n.¹

[arch. SE wax wrath, to become angry; wax v.²]

1. a temper, a state of anger.

1862		H. Kingsley Ravenshoe I 74: She’s in a terrible wax, but she’ll be all right by the time he comes back from his holidays.
1875		E.L. Linton Patricia Kemball II 78: I don’t wonder at your being in a wax.
1887		‘A Plain Woman’ Poor Nellie I 31: Annoyed? Bosh! She was in a regular wax!
1890		‘’Arry on the Sincerest Form of Flattery’ in Punch 20 Sept. 144/2: Sech scoots scurryfunging around on the gay old galoot [...] have put you, old pal, in a wax.
1895		Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict. 93: Wax, a rage,‘let us put him in a wax’.
1900		Boy’s Own Paper 20 Oct. 38: I didn’t see why he should get cross [...] but he did seem in a wax.
1912		E. Pugh Harry The Cockney 97: Young Weaver is a perfect demon once you get his wax up.
1914		R. Tressell Ragged Trousered Philanthropists (1955) 83: Sometimes he gets into a fine old wax when the boys don’t pay proper attention.
1916		Joyce Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man 7: Father Arnall’s face looked very black but he was not in a wax.
1945		(con. 1919) R. Westerby Mad in Pursuit 19: Jimbug’s waiting to march us into Hall. She’s in a fearful wax.
1979		H. Leonard A Life (1981) Act I: Now you’re in a wax [...] You’re raging.
1999		(con. 1900s) R. Doyle A Star Called Henry (2000) 34: I flooded the room with my stinks and waxes. I roared and screamed my right to be named.