feverish

American  

[fee-ver-ish] / ˈfi vər ɪʃ /

adjective

1. having fever.

2. pertaining to, of the nature of, or resembling fever.

   a feverish excitement.

3. excited, restless, or uncontrolled, as if from fever.

   Synonyms:

   worked-up, fervent, impatient, frenzied

4. having a tendency to produce fever.

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feverish British  

/ ˈfiːvərɪʃ /

adjective

1. suffering from fever, esp a slight fever

2. in a state of restless excitement

3. of, relating to, caused by, or causing fever

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Other Word Forms

• feverishly adverb
• feverishness noun
• nonfeverish adjective
• nonfeverishness noun
• pseudofeverish adjective
• unfeverish adjective

Etymology

Origin of feverish

First recorded in 1350–1400, feverish is from the Middle English word feverisch. See fever, -ish ¹

Example Sentences

The week started with feverish excitement as thousands of Irish fans - most of whom didn't have a ticket to the game - descended on Prague.

From BBC

Before his senior year, he could become the centerpiece of a feverish bidding war between blue blood programs.

From The Wall Street Journal

She still had received no examination or medicine of any kind and her forehead felt feverish to my touch.

From Literature

But he didn’t have the expressive variety to make the horror of Hercules’ death scene match lines like “Along my feverish veins, like liquid fire, the subtle poison hastes.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Most of the crew were seriously ill or injured: swollen legs, missing digits, labored breathing, feverish.

From Literature

Related Words

• fevered
• frantic
• frenetic
• frenzied
• furious
• heated
• hectic
• obsessive
• passionate
• restless