Feelings - Fear & Terror

Dive into English idioms regarding fear and terror, like "on tenterhooks" and "shake like a leaf".

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to [frighten|scare|terrify] {sb} out of {one's} wits [phrase]

to do something that makes someone really scared

Ex:

cold sweat [noun]

a state in which one sweats because of being really scared or anxious

Ex: The thought of heights makes him break into a cold sweat .

to [chill] {sb} to the (bone|marrow) [phrase]

to make someone become extremely terrified

Ex: The thought of facing my worst fear tomorrow will chill me to the bone .

[chill|shiver] [run] (up|down) {one's} [spine] [sentence]

used when one does or says something that makes someone become extremely scared or excited

Ex:

to [be] the death of {sb} [phrase]

to cause extreme worry, distress, or discomfort for others

Ex: That job was the death of him ; the stress and long hours took a toll on his health .

with bated breath [phrase]

in a state of great anticipation, often holding one's breath

Ex: With bated breath , she listens for the sound of footsteps approaching .

to [shake|tremble] like a leaf [phrase]

(of a person) to involuntarily shake one's body due to feeling nervous, afraid, or cold

Ex: Tomorrow , she will shake like a leaf as she gives her presentation to a large audience .

to [scare] the (living|) crap out of {sb} [phrase]

to extremely frighten someone

Ex: That haunted house we visited last Halloween scared the living crap out of us .

to [scare] {sb} witless [phrase]

to do or say something that makes someone become extremely frightened or worried

Ex:

to [scare] {sb} straight [phrase]

to frighten or shock someone in order to improve or correct their behavior

Ex:

to [scare] {sb} shitless [phrase]

to do something that makes someone extremely scared

Ex: That haunted house last Halloween scared us shitless .

to [jump|leap] out of {one's} skin [phrase]

to become extremely scared or surprised, causing a strong physical reaction

Ex: The loud noise made her jump out of her skin .

to [make] {one's} hair stand on end [phrase]

to frighten or shock someone very suddenly or severely

Ex: That haunted house we visited last Halloween made our hair stand on end .

to [shake|quake|tremble] in {one's} (boots|shoes) [phrase]

to shake involuntarily as a response to extreme fear

Ex:

to [scare|freighten] the (living|) daylights out of {sb} [phrase]

to shock or frighten someone very suddenly or severely

Ex: The haunted house we visited last Halloween scared the daylights out of everyone .

on tenterhooks [phrase]

in a state of great anxiety, suspense, or excitement while waiting for something

Ex: He was on tenterhooks until the final exam grades were announced .

like a scalded cat [phrase]

in a very restless and agitated state, often due to being shocked or frightened

Ex: The startled rabbit darted away like a scalded cat when it heard a noise in the bushes .

to [scare] the (living|) shit out of {sb} [phrase]

to intensely frighten or shock someone

Ex:

rooted (to|in) the (spot|floor|ground) [phrase]

unable to move or act due to being extremely shocked, surprised, or frightened

Ex: Tomorrow , they will be rooted in the ground in awe as they witness the breathtaking natural phenomenon .

to [make] {one's} blood run cold [phrase]

to cause a strong feeling of fear in someone

Ex: The terrifying scream from the haunted house made my blood run cold as I hurriedly ran away .

to [make] {one'} ‌(skin|flesh) (crawl|creep) [phrase]

to experience a feeling of discomfort or disgust that causes a tingling feeling

Ex:

for dear life [phrase]

with great effort to avoid injury or save one's life

Ex: She held onto the handrail for dear life as the roller coaster plunged down at high speed .

Feelings
Happiness	Excitement	Sadness or Discontent	Unhappiness & Disappointment
Anger	Rage	Losing One's Temper	Annoyance
Irritation	Fear & Terror	Anticipation	Shame & Embarrassment