Phrase guide

send shivers down someone's spine

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To terrify; to make someone feel extremely nervous.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, informal

Examples

  • Hearing that the killer escaped prison sent shivers down my spine.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 發毛 /发毛 (fāmáo) — terrify
  • Finnish: saada kylmät väreet kulkemaan pitkin selkäpiitä — terrify
  • French: faire froid dans le dos — terrify
  • Galician: arrepiar — terrify
  • German: jemandem kalt den Rücken runterlaufen — terrify
  • Icelandic: það fór hrollur um hann — terrify
  • Portuguese: dar um frio na barriga — terrify
  • Vietnamese: lạnh sống lưng — terrify