emotion

blanch with (an emotion)

To become visibly pale as a result of feeling a particular emotion. All of my friends ran into the creepy haunted house, but I blanched with fear when I saw it. Stella blanched with disgust at the plate of cooked ants that had been set before her.
See also: blanch

blush with (an emotion)

To have a red face while feeling a particular emotion. I blushed with embarrassment when the teacher caught me not paying attention in class and yelled at me.
See also: blush

boil with (an emotion)

To express or feel an emotion, typically anger, very intensely. Things are often tense between my mom and my aunt, so when they had to spend days together on our family vacation, they were soon boiling with anger. When I saw that someone had backed into my new car, I immediately boiled with rage.
See also: boil

burst with (an emotion)

Of an emotion, to be so filled up with something as to be unable to contain it. I was bursting with anger after they fired me from my job. My kids burst with joy when we told them we were going to the theme park over the weekend.
See also: burst

choked by emotion

So overwhelmed with an emotion, either positive or negative, as to be unable to speak clearly or at all. She was choked by emotion when she stepped up to speak at her mother's funeral.
See also: by, choke, emotion

choked with emotion

So overwhelmed with an emotion, either positive or negative, as to be unable to speak clearly or at all. I was positively choked with emotion by all the lovely speeches at my retirement party.
See also: choke, emotion

cower down with (some emotion)

To crouch or otherwise make oneself smaller while feeling or exhibiting a particular emotion. When I heard that loud bang, I immediately got behind the door and cowered down with fear.
See also: cower, down

feel (some emotion) about (someone or something)

To feel a particular emotion in response to or about someone or something. Do you feel good about your decision to move? Look, I feel really guilty about interrupting your dinner, so I'm going to go.
See also: feel

fire (one) with (an emotion)

To cause one to feel a particular emotion. Overhearing Tim's nasty comments about me fired me with anger. I was having a rough day until thoughts of our upcoming beach vacation fired me with joy.
See also: fire

flame with (an emotion)

Of the eyes, to seem to convey a particular feeling or emotion with intensity. Callie's eyes flamed with anger when I accused her of cheating on the test. Of course John's interested in you—his eyes are practically flaming with desire every time he looks at you.
See also: flame

flash with (an emotion)

Of the eyes, to seem to convey a particular feeling or emotion with intensity. Callie's eyes flashed with anger when I accused her of cheating on the test. Of course John's interested in you—his eyes practically flash with desire every time he looks at you. Yeah, my mom knows you—her eyes flashed with recognition when I said your name.
See also: flash

fling (one's) arms up in (some emotion)

To toss or jerk one's arms upward to convey some emotion. As the kids ran around the room shrieking, Mom just flung her arms up in exhaustion and shook her head. I can't hear what they're saying, but it looks like Dad just flung his arms up in anger, so that's not a good sign.
See also: arm, fling, up

fling (one's) hands up in (some emotion)

To toss or jerk one's hands upward to convey some emotion. As the kids ran around the room shrieking, Mom just flung her hands up in exhaustion and shook her head. I can't hear what they're saying, but it looks like Dad just flung his hands up in anger, so that's not a good sign.
See also: fling, hand, up

fling up (one's) arms in (some emotion)

To toss or jerk one's arms upward to convey some emotion. As the kids ran around the room shrieking, Mom just flung up her arms in exhaustion and shook her head. I can't hear what they're saying, but it looks like Dad just flung up his arms in anger, so that's not a good sign.
See also: arm, fling, up

fling up (one's) hands in (some emotion)

To toss or jerk one's hands upward to convey some emotion. As the kids ran around the room shrieking, Mom just flung up her hands in exhaustion and shook her head. I can't hear what they're saying, but it looks like Dad just flung up his hands up in anger, so that's not a good sign.
See also: fling, hand, up

let (one's) emotions show

To allow one's emotions to be on display to others; to let other people see how one is feeling (about something). He is normally a very composed, reserved fellow, but he'll let his emotions show if ever you say a disparaging remark about his sister. She held it together for the whole funeral, but she they started talking about her childhood with her father, she started to let her emotions show.
See also: emotion, let, show

mixed emotions

Positive and negative emotions that are experienced simultaneously and are often in conflict with one another. I've got mixed emotions about starting college this fall: on the one hand, I can't wait to start the next chapter in my education, but, on the other, I will be so sad leaving my friends and family behind.
See also: emotion, mixed

pique (one's) (emotion)

To arouse a particular emotion in one. While the special effects looked impressive, it was the movie's approach to its female characters that piqued my interest. Nothing piques my ire like people who don't use their turn signals when they're driving! It's important to provide your children with experiences that pique their curiosity.
See also: pique

pregnant with (something)

Full of, or fraught with, or having a lot of something. Just before naming the guilty party, he gave a pause that seemed pregnant with meaning, and I wondered whether he was telling me the truth. Her speech was pregnant with emotion, and her eyes brimmed with tears as she spoke.
See also: pregnant

quail with (an emotion)

To shrink back, cower, or tremble as a result of some intense emotion, especially fear. The sight would make even the most stalwart quail with terror. My heart quailed with shame as I thought over what had happened.
See also: quail

quake with (an emotion)

To tremble or shake as a result of some intense emotion. The sight would make even the most stalwart quaked with terror. Her voice quaked with shame as she recounted what happened. He was quaking with anger as he listened to the report.
See also: quake
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

let one's emotions show

to be emotional, especially where it is not appropriate. I'm sorry for the outburst. I didn't mean to let my emotions show. Please stop crying. You mustn't let your emotions show.
See also: emotion, let, show
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • anger
  • blanch with
  • blanch with (an emotion)
  • horror
  • give (one) the shivers
  • send chills down (one's) spine
  • send shivers down (one's) spine
  • give you the willies
  • give (one) the willies
  • give somebody/get the shivers
References in classic literature
Angell's conclusion, after discussing the experiments of Sherrington and Cannon, is: "I would therefore submit that, so far as concerns the critical suggestions by these two psychologists, James's essential contentions are not materially affected." If it were necessary for me to take sides on this question, I should agree with this conclusion; but I think my thesis as to the analysis of emotion can be maintained without coming to.
According to our definitions, if James is right, an emotion may be regarded as involving a confused perception of the viscera concerned in its causation, while if Cannon and Sherrington are right, an emotion involves a confused perception of its external stimulus.
The Analysis of Mind
appreciation of each literary work as a product of Fine Art, appealing with peculiar power both to our minds and to our emotions, not least to the sense of Beauty and the whole higher nature.
A History of English Literature
"Perhaps not," said Charlotte; "I can love enough to feel a great and deep interest in those who are dear to me, but I never yet have experienced such emotions, as you describe--I believe, in this particular, you have formed a just opinion of me, Mr.
Imagination and Heart
Thus enlightened, the girls were able to interpret truly the emotions that crossed the features of the beautiful Italian,--her gestures, the peculiar tones in which she hummed a tune, and the attention with which they saw her listen to sounds which only she could hear through the partition.
Vendetta
She put out her hand to Rosamond, and they said an earnest, quiet good-by without kiss or other show of effusion: there had been between them too much serious emotion for them to use the signs of it superficially.
Middlemarch
Approaching Uncas, she held the blazing brand in such a manner as to cast its red glare on his person, and to expose the slightest emotion of his countenance.
His eye, which was contracted with inward anguish, gleamed on the persons of those whose breath was his fame; and the latter emotion for an instant predominated.
Last of The Mohicans
These being hastily gobbled up, the chicken spread its wings, and alighted close by Phoebe on the window-sill, where it looked gravely into her face and vented its emotions in a croak.
It is probable that the latent emotions of this parting hour had revived, in some degree, his bedimmed and enfeebled faculties.
House Of Seven Gables
Oh, would we could relate it everywhere, and to every one, so that the emotion of our unknown benefactor might reveal his presence."
"Alas," cried Monte Cristo, striving to repress his emotion, "if Lord Wilmore was your unknown benefactor, I fear you will never see him again.
Count of Monte Cristo
He took her outside this little world of love and emotion. He had a grasp of facts.
The Voyage Out
The undertaker, instructed to spare no expense, provided long-tailed black horses, with black palls on their backs and black plumes upon their foreheads; coachmen decorated with scarves and jack-boots, black hammercloths, cloaks, and gloves, with many hired mourners, who, however, would have been instantly discharged had they presumed to betray emotion, or in any way overstep their function of walking beside the hearse with brass-tipped batons in their hands.
Unsocial Socialist
It was only one phase of the multitudinous emotions which had assailed her.
Awakening and Selected Short Stories