| make your hair stand on end make (your) hair stand on end to cause you to be very frightened. Massey's detailed account of the battle made my hair stand on end. Usage notes: sometimes used in the form feel your hair stand on end - to recognize you are very frightened: I could feel the hair stand up on the back of my neck at the thought of crossing that old bridge. Related vocabulary: raise your hackles, send shivers down your spine Etymology: from the way the hair on a dog's neck points up when it is frightened or angry |