fall over oneself

Itasan · Post by **Itasan** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 5:55 am

"I gave them the full treatment, and they were just falling over themselves."
I wonder what was happening to them in the last part.
Were they in a state of panic (confused) or were they doing their best?

Thank you.

blackmagicABC · Post by **blackmagicABC** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:23 pm

A little dubious in meaning.
It should mean they were very eager and enthusiastic(almost overly eager and enthusiastic) but the full treatment seems to have a negative connotation so the context is confusing to me.
Then again I am not that smart.

Itasan · Post by **Itasan** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 12:17 am

Thank you very much, blackmagic.

Macavity · Post by **Macavity** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 9:33 pm

Hmm. Seems to me that they didn't take the "full treatment" too seriously! My question is, what were they falling over themselves doing? Laughing?