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  • Does anyone know about the origin of this phrase? It is one of my favorites.

    January 8, 2010

  • I always assumed it referred to one's inner goat, the goat being symbolic of capriciousness, wilfulness, stubbornness, and, further, of Pan and Satan. I.e. something that gets your goat, gets that goatish side of you to show itself.

    Just speculation and probably wrong.

    January 8, 2010

  • This might help. (Or not.) :-)

    January 8, 2010

  • Mine's better.

    January 8, 2010

  • Indeed it is.

    January 8, 2010

  • I can't tell wether you're kidding.

    January 8, 2010

  • *SNORT*

    January 8, 2010

  • I like to use it like this: I need some milk. Somebody go get my goat.

    January 9, 2010

  • Got goat?

    January 9, 2010

  • HAR!

    January 9, 2010

  • Gee. I prefer oat milk.

    January 9, 2010

  • I like Oak milk.

    And yaks' milk is pink. Naturally.

    January 9, 2010

  • I prefer goat ilk.

    January 11, 2010

  • How 'bout some chevre o' lait?

    January 11, 2010

  • HAR!

    January 11, 2010

  • So far I have read several different explanations on this phrase, including yarb and reesetee's (below). Another theory is that "goat" is here a corruption of "goad". More theories at http://www.zyra.org.uk/getgoat.htm. This could be a thesis in the making.

    January 12, 2010

  • I can't take credit for that explanation, thtownse--but have at it with the thesis! :-)

    January 12, 2010