heebie-jeebies
[ hee-bee-jee-beez ]
/ ˈhi biˈdʒi biz /
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noun (used with a plural verb)Slang.
Usually the heebie-jeebies . a condition of extreme nervousness caused by fear, worry, strain, etc.; the jitters; the willies: Just thinking about ghosts gives me the heebie-jeebies.
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Origin of heebie-jeebies
An Americanism dating back to 1920–25; rhyming compound coined by W. De Beck (1890–1942), American comic-strip cartoonist
Words nearby heebie-jeebies
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for heebie-jeebies
Whatever it is, the thing gave me the heebie-jeebies for a minute.
Dorothy Dixon and the Double Cousin|Dorothy Wayne"Something in there gives me the heeby-jeebies," she said, pointing.
The Onslaught from Rigel|Fletcher PrattIf it takes all this detail to fly straight and level, I'll get the heebie-jeebies when it comes to acrobatics!
Dorothy Dixon Wins Her Wings|Dorothy Wayne
British Dictionary definitions for heebie-jeebies
heebie-jeebies
/ (ˈhiːbɪˈdʒiːbɪz) /
pl n
the heebie-jeebies slang apprehension and nervousness
Word Origin for heebie-jeebies
C20: coined by W. De Beck (1890–1942), American cartoonist
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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