Anal retentive: in everyday usage, to be overly uptight; to be bothersomely picky or detail-driven. One who becomes distressed over ordinarily minor problems. In slang, the term is often shortened to anal.

The popular usage is derived from psychology. Sigmund Freud proposed that conflicts with parents and delays during toilet training cause a person to become fixated on anal control, which later manifests itself as a compulsive concern with order and cleanliness.


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