To be touchy

Origin

Imagine a delicate spring mechanism, so finely tuned that the slightest brush could set it off. That's the essence of "touchy," a term that emerged from the verb 'to touch' in the 16th century. Initially, it described things that were difficult to handle or manage, like a 'touchy' subject requiring careful navigation, or a 'touchy' horse prone to bolting. But by the 17th century, this descriptor jumped from objects and concepts to people. Suddenly, individuals whose emotions were so close to the surface, so easily 'touched' or provoked into irritation or offense, became known as 'touchy.' It painted a vivid picture of someone whose emotional tripwires were hair-thin, ready to ignite at the merest perceived slight, transforming a practical warning into a nuanced description of human temperament.