spleen
Translation
spleen, bad temper, anger
Examples
The doctor examined the patient's spleen.
The doctor examined the patient's spleen.
He vented his spleen on his employees.
He vented his spleen on his employees.
Grammar Patterns
((one's)) spleen the organ in the body The doctor examined the patient's spleen.
to vent ((one's)) spleen on ((sb.)) to express one's anger towards (sb.) He vented his spleen on his employees.
Similar Words
Synonyms (figurative): anger, rage, wrath, fury
Etymology
From Greek 'splēn'. In ancient medicine, the spleen was thought to be the source of black bile, which caused melancholy and anger.
Memory Tips
Remember the historical medical belief that the spleen controlled one's temper. To 'vent one's spleen' is to let out that bad temper.