go ballistic

present singular third person goes ballistic · participle present going ballistic · past went ballistic · participle past gone ballistic

1. idiomaticTo become very angry and irrational.

   The guy went ballistic when I tried to tell him he couldn't return the socks if the package had been opened.

   2 more examples

   She'd go ballistic, possibly even fling a fireball or two, if she knew Selene had him in her apartment.

   1964, Elle James and Pamela Kent, Enemy Lover

   Allen Gregory DeLongpre: Hey, sorry for going ballistic back there. I think the whole Julie-being-alive thing affected me more than I thought.

   2011 Allen Gregory, "Pilot" (season 1, episode 1)

2. aerospaceTo travel to its target partly via unpowered ballistic or quasi-ballistic flight, usually following burnout of its rocket motor (of a usually rocket-powered, predominantly non-glide projectile or aerial vehicle, such as a ballistic missile).

   SRAM is a very flexible weapon. It has a ballistic trajectory. It can be launched and go ballistic into its target for a long range... and it can go short range at very low levels.

   1978, United States Senate, Part 8 of Fiscal year 1978 authorization for military procurement, research and development, and active duty, selected reserve, and civilian personnel strengths: hearings before the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate, Ninety-fifth Congress, first session, on S. 1210

3. slangaerospaceTo travel on an unguided or ballistic trajectory, having lost power, control or guidance (of a powered, usually guided missile or other aerial vehicle).

   Putting something between you and the guidance radar will cause the missile to go ballistic.

   1983, Michael Skinner, USAFE: A primer of modern air combat in Europe

   2 more examples

   I... fired two AIM-7s in a ripple. One AIM-7 went ballistic. The other guided but passed behind the MIG and did not detonate. Knowing that I was then too close for further AIM-7 firing...

   1976, Robert Frank Futrell, The United States Air Force in Southeast Asia-- aces and aerial victories, 1965-1973

   In the case of retarded bombs released at too high a speed, the retarding fins might tear away and allow the bomb to go ballistic.

   1986, Alfred Price, Air Battle Central Europe