heebie

give (one) the creeps

To make one feel wary or uneasy due to eeriness or strange behavior. I stay away from that old house on the corner, it gives me the creeps! Why is that guy just standing around and not talking to anyone? He's giving me the creeps!
See also: creep, give

give (one) the heebie-jeebies

To cause one to feel an extreme or acute sensation of fear, apprehension, worry, or anxiety. Walking through a graveyard always gives me the heebie-jeebies. All these ghost stories are giving me the heebie-jeebies.
See also: give

give (one) the willies

To cause one to have a feeling of fear, dread, or squeamishness. Can we get out of here? This creepy old house is giving me the willies! Ack, seeing that tank of cockroaches gave me the willies.
See also: give, willies

the heebie-jeebies

An extreme or acute sensation of fear, apprehension, worry, or anxiety. Often used with "get" or "give." I always get the heebie-jeebies when I walk through a graveyard. All these ghost stories are giving me the heebie-jeebies.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

give somebody the ˈwillies/heebie-ˈjeebies/ˈcreeps

(informal) make somebody feel nervous or afraid: Being alone in this old house gives me the willies. He gives me the creeps. He’s got such strange eyes.
See also: creep, give, somebody, willies
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

heebie-jeebies

and heeby-jeebies (ˈhibiˈdʒibiz)
n. an extreme case of anxiety or fear. I have the heebie-jeebies whenever I go to the dentist.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

heebie-jeebies

Anxiety or fear. Records indicate that “heebie-Jeebies” first appeared in print in a 1923 newspaper cartoon by one Billy DeBeck, in which a character says, “You dumb ox—why don't you get that stupid look offa your pan—you gimme the heeby jeebys!” The spelling changed over the years, as witnessed by its inclusion a year later in the “Alabamy Bound” popularized by the Paul Whitman Orchestra: “I'm Alabamy bound, there'll be no heebie-jeebies hanging 'round . . .”
Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price
See also:
  • give (one) the creeps
  • give somebody the willies/heebie-jeebies/creeps
  • give someone the creeps
  • jeebies
  • willies
  • get the creeps
  • feel strange
  • like a cat in a strange garret
  • abdabs
  • give (one) the screaming abdabs
References in periodicals archive
A place where everyone in Liverpool has danced their socks off at one point or another, Heebie Jeebies is the pinnacle of a Liverpool night out.
Every bar and restaurant on Liverpool's Seel Street as rated by their customers; If you want somewhere to grab a cocktail or a bite to eat of the popular street, we've got your back..
Heebie Jeebie Juice has adapted Herman Melville's short story "Bartleby, the Scrivener" through "pansori" (Korean traditional narrative music).
Music theater festival opens in Uijeongbu
After Frightday first- day shows played out on Friday, the heebie jeebies are back.
Spinning a yarn out of tatters
Directors Graham Clarke and Peter Antonio, who also run Heebie Jeebies and The Peacock, said that despite its popularity the business was not profitable.
Popular music venue was not making money, says director
It might give you the heebie jeebies at your next dental appointment, but the London hit from the Menier Chocolate Factory will keep you rooted to your seats.
Mean, green ...and a bloody musical treat! Theatre Review
Apparently having exhausted itself on "meemies;' it doesn't make a peep about "heebie" or "jeebie."
Electronic intelligence? No such thing
That Kempton affair has also worked out rather well, with runner-up Mickmacmagoole winning at Taunton and fourth-placed Heebie Jeebie a subsequent close second at Ludlow.
Imperial Harry set to break duck
It's called Self-Destruction of a Man and it'll give you the heebie jeebies, the summertime blues, and the rockin' pneumonia all in one mega dose.
Like it hot?
The young trumpeter had received quite a bit of notoriety as a protege of King Oliver and had acquired the reputation of being one of the exciting innovators of this new, hot music called "jazz." The group was performing a song called "Heebie Jeebies." But something went wrong during the recording process, and Louis Armstrong leaned into the microphone and began singing a series of nonsensical syllables, slightly mimicking the tone and timber of his horn.
Body and Soul: Bob Kaufman's Golden Sardine
A man was stabbed in Liverpool city centre club Heebie Jeebies - the second knife attack at the venue in the space of two days.
Man stabbed in the face in second Heebie Jeebies knife attack in two days; 23-year-old is second victim of attack in Seel Street club
The Perth midfielder has seen the Hibees' heebie jeebies grip the club from his four years in Leith.
We'll ramp up Hibees jeebies
Armed with bodies, cof-fins, eyeballs, spiders, monsters and witches, the dad-of-two does such a good job, he gives young and old on his street the heebie jeebies.
Gore blimey, what a gruesome display!
Mr Clarke also owns several city centre bars including The Peacock and Heebie Jeebies.
Mystery closure of popular city centre bar
Also, my wife makes me watch it and he is giving me the heebie jeebies.
More swizz than Wiz
Just because he's a bit on the short side it might not be PC to say it, but this creep gives me the heebie jeebies.
JAMES' STAR TURN