Irish n.
1. (orig. US) temper.
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | Narrative of the Life of D.C. (1934) 45: Her Irish was up too high to do anything with her. | |
 | Adventures of Snodgrass n.p.: She’d got up her Irish now and didn’t keer a scratch for bars and nothin else [R]. | |
| Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 24 Jan. 12/4: Mr Murphy [...] felt his Irish was getting up. | |
![[Aus]](/static/img/flags/aus.png "Australia") | Bulletin (Sydney) 6 Oct. 24/1: Sharkey, whose ‘Irish’ was up, went in to finish – bashing, swinging, and uppercutting with savage ferocity, but Fitz. managed to dodge the worst until he got a chance to give Sharkey a fearful dig with the right in the victualling dept. | |
| Reno (NV) Eve. Gazette 28 Apr. 2/2: Temper is ‘Irish.’. | |
| Bulletin (Sydney) 11 Oct. 16/3: Said ’twas the Irish in him that did it, and he won several goes until his hat got too small; but one night at Mulligan’s he took on a hard case and got ‘jip’ for about seven rounds. | |
| ‘Central Connecticut Word-List’ in DN III:i 12: Irish, n. Temper. | |
| Shorty McCabe 69: The Lady Brigandess she had stood that for a while, until one day she gets her Irish up. | |
| ‘The Revenge of Kid Morales’ in Taking the Count 277: When he gets his Irish up he ain’t got a lick of sense. | |
| Dict. Amer. Sl. | |
| King Cole 52: ‘Here you!’ said Barney, his Irish up, and his fist all ready for a blow. | |
| Boston Sun. Globe Mag. (MA) 7 Jan. 7/1: ‘Don’t worry.’ ‘Don’t worry! You get your Irish up and tell me not to worry!’. | |
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Fowlers End (2001) 298: Before they fight, it is necessary for them to stamp and champ themselves into that state of manic depression which they call ‘getting their Irish up’. | |
| (con. 1950) Band of Brothers 112: Patrick sure had his Irish up. | |
| Sports Illus. June 🌐 He was mad, he had his Irish up. | |
| Maledicta IX 56: Irish n [L] Sexual temperament or fury. |
2. see Irish arms under Irish adj.
3. (US) constr. with the, potatoes.
| Lima News (OH) 19 Feb. 10/2: Spuds are up. One armed joints announce no more of the irish will be served free with meats. |
4. (US) ‘especially forceful sadomasochistic scenario or partner; Irish typically denotes violence and blood’.
| personal ad, adult bookstore Lang. Sadomasochism (1989) 85: Anyone out there into strong Irish? I command you to call me! Weaklings and the squeamish need not apply. |