go snake

English

Etymology

Of uncertain origin.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Verb

go snake (third-person singular simple present goes snake, present participle going snake, simple past went snake, past participle gone snake)

1. (idiomatic, chiefly Canada, informal) To act in an erratic or unrestrained manner.

   Synonyms: go crazy, go postal; see also Thesaurus:lose one's temper

   • 2004 August 23, Geoffrey Scotton, “Alberta lumber sales roar: Exports, prices put industry on record pace”, in Calgary Herald, Calgary, Alberta, page D4:

     Industry watchers note that high prices and record revenues likely mean the sector is headed for strong profits, despite its challenges. / “Prices have gone snake. If you think about it, the tariffs have been a constant over the whole thing. […] ” observed James Beck, a forestry professor at the University of Alberta.

   • 2004 November 6, “Cougars slammed by Wesmen”, in Leader-Post, Regina, Sask., page C8:

     “On the road, refs are going to make their calls; I know that,” Hillis said Friday. “I'm a big boy, I've been on the road before. But there were two really hard fouls (on Wright and Matt Cherkas) . . . and I finally went snake.[”]

   • 2007 April 18, Kim Ross-Polito, “Sidelines”, in The Crestline Advocate, number 29, Crestline, OH, page 2:

     A few days after I got home from the ER, my mother called to yell at me. Since it turned out I wasn't dying, I hadn't told her of my medical adventure. I didn't want to worry her. Big mistake. A family member ratted me out and my little, white-haired mother went snake on me.

Anagrams

• Kaesong