wig out

English

Etymology

Compare freak out, etc., and flip one's wig.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

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Verb

wig out (third-person singular simple present wigs out, present participle wigging out, simple past and past participle wigged out)

1. (slang, intransitive) To become extremely emotional or excitable; to lose control of one's emotions.
   • 2003, “Let Me Watch”, in Vaudeville Villain, performed by Viktor Vaughn ft. Apani B. Fly:

     Oh no, you didn't! You called me a what? / Don't make me wig out / How you gonna let some shit like that slip out your mouth?

   • 2023 May 6, Rachel Cooke, “It was ludicrous but also magnificent: the coronation stirred every emotion”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

     An organist wigged out like Rick Wakeman, the diamante lapels of Humza Yousaf’s kilt jacket sparkled, and out in the Mall, the procession began.

2. (drugs, slang, intransitive) To behave in an extremely erratic or irrational manner; to lose one's mind.

   Synonyms: freak out, lose one's wits

3. (slang, transitive) To cause to become extremely emotional or excitable.

Synonyms

• flip out
• freak out

Derived terms

• wigged-out (adj)

Noun

wig out (plural wig outs)

1. (slang) A chaotic or crazy episode.
   • 2019 August 15, Bob Stanley, “'Groovy, groovy, groovy': listening to Woodstock 50 years on – all 38 discs”, in The Guardian‎^[2]:

     “Let’s get high!” say Quill, Saturday’s opening act and maybe the most obscure name on the bill. They are also awful. They Live The Life lasts a leaden, eight minutes, ending in a percussive wig out with the band sarcastically chanting: “You’re so free!” This was played during one of the brief sunny spells, but you wouldn’t know it.