1 C1 idiomatic informal
To arouse someone's anger, fighting spirit, or combativeness.
"That comment really irishe him up — he was ready to argue with anyone."
separable
irish up
C1 informal separable transitive
To stir up someone's temper or fighting spirit; to make someone angry or combative.
In plain English
To make someone angry or ready to fight.
What does "irish up" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To make someone 'Irish' in the stereotypical sense of becoming fiery or combative.
Actually means
To make someone angry or ready to fight.
Usage tip
Informal and considered offensive or stereotyping by many speakers, as it plays on the cultural stereotype of Irish people as hot-tempered. Mainly used in American English. Use with caution. Occasionally encountered in older texts or informal American speech.
Words that pair with "irish up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
temper someone crowd spirit
How to conjugate "irish up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
irish up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
irishes up
he/she/it
Past simple
irished up
yesterday
Past participle
irished up
have + pp
-ing form
irishing up
continuous
Hear "irish up" in the wild
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