This idiom means to irritate, annoy, or provoke someone, often to the point of frustration or anger. It suggests getting under someone’s skin, disrupting their calm, and is used in social, familial, or competitive contexts to describe deliberate or incidental aggravation. The phrase carries a playful or slightly mischievous tone, reflecting cultural amusement at minor conflicts, but can also imply a deeper emotional impact, depending on the context. It underscores the human tendency to be rattled by small provocations and the dynamics of interpersonal tension.

The phrase likely originated in early 20th-century America, possibly from horse racing, where goats were placed in stalls to calm nervous horses, and stealing the goat (‘getting the goat’) would upset the horse. An early use appears in a 1908 *Chicago Tribune* article, describing a prank ‘getting his goat.’ The idiom gained traction during the 1910s, reflecting American slang’s love for animal metaphors, as seen in Ring Lardner’s baseball stories. Its use grew in the mid-20th century, particularly in sports and journalism, and spread to British English through American media. The phrase’s quirky imagery and emotional resonance ensured its enduring use, especially in casual or competitive settings.