Question of the Day #1212

Where would we be if seriously dangerous situations like dark alleys at night didn’t give us the heebie-jeebies?

From the 2nd paragraph of this article at Psychology Today.

  上記の文で、heebie-jeebiesの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "heebie-jeebies" mean?

  答えは、コメントに書いてください。
Write your answer in the Comments.

明日、ここに答えを書きます。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

 

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解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

〈米俗〉〔恐怖・緊張などによる〕非常にナーバスな気持ち、神経過敏、ビクビクした状態

   

Answer

According to Dictionary.com:

Usually the heebie-jeebies. a condition of extreme nervousness caused by fear, worry, strain, etc.; the jitters; the willies

語源

英辞郎によると、

【語源】アメリカの漫画家Billy DeBeckの連載漫画「Barney Google and Snuffy Smith」からの新語

 

Etymology

According to Dictionary.com:

An Americanism dating back to 1920–25; rhyming compound coined by W. De Beck (1890–1942), American comic-strip cartoonist

 

Examples

1. Just thinking about ghosts gives me the heebie-jeebies.
2. Shoppers are getting spooky season heebie-jeebies The Consumer Confidence Index just experienced its largest drop since August 2021. — Melvin Backman, Quartz, 25 Sep. 2024
3. Either way, creepy kids have earned a permanent place in the horror canon. Ahead, see which movie and TV children give us major heebie-jeebies. — Ew Staff, EW.com, 15 July 2024
4. Who gives you the biggest heebie-jeebies of the bunch? — How To Save A Country, The New Republic, 27 Apr. 2023
5. I don't know what it is about him, he just gives me the heebie jeebies.

   

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