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To Get the Hump - origin

Posted by James Briggs on March 24, 2002

In Reply to: To Get the Hump - origin posted by Word Camel on March 24, 2002

: I want to know the logic and/or the origin of to "get the hump" meaning: to be annoyed. (I thought this was the "ump" for many years because I didn't realise the "h" was being dropped.) Anyway, does anyone know? It makes no sense to me.

: Camel

Just a guess. People who are fed up are said to get the hump - I've never really thought of the expression as associated with aggressive annoyance, just about being upset with one's lot in life. Fed up people tend to slouch along, head down a bit. This produces a curved back - a bit like a camel's hump. Thus, I guess, the analogy.

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