Meaning of go postal | Babel Free

Definitions

To become aggressive and erratic, especially due to stress; specifically, to carry out a shooting spree at a workplace environment; also (more generally) to become very angry; to lose one's temper.

US, informal, intransitive

Equivalents

Examples

“Violence that spills in from the streets may be less worrisome than the worker rampages, to judge⟳ by the attentive audience of personnel managers (and the consultants available for hire⟳) at "A Growing American Phenomenon: Workplace Violence." The symposium was sponsored by the U.S. Postal Service, which has seen so many outbursts that in some circles excessive stress⟳ is known as "going postal." Thirty-five people have⟳ been killed in 11 post⟳ office shootings since 1983.”

CEFR level