make one's hair stand on end

make (one's) hair stand on end

1. To scare or horrify one. The screams coming from the old, dark house made my hair stand on end. When we go camping, every little noise outside my tent makes my hair stand on end. It could be a bear, after all!
2. To give one goose bumps as a result of a strong emotional reaction. The speech she gave was incredible. It made everyone's hair stand on end! I won't lie, hearing my name on national television made my hair stand on end.
See also: end, hair, make, on, stand
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

make one's hair stand on end

Also, make one's hair curl. Terrify one, as in The very thought of an earthquake makes my hair stand on end, or Diving off a high board is enough to make my hair curl. The first term, first recorded in 1534, alludes to goose pimples prompted by fear, which cause the hairs around them to stand up. The variant dates from the mid-1900s.
See also: end, hair, make, on, stand
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

make one's hair stand on end, to

To terrify. The Book of Job (4:14–15) states, “Fear came upon me . . . and the hair of my flesh stood up.” The allusion here is to the goose pimples aroused by fear (or cold), the raised bumps on the skin that cause the hairs around them to stand up. Centuries later this gave rise to the adjective hair-raising, a synonym for terrifying.
See also: hair, make, on, stand
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • make (one's) hair stand on end
  • make hair stand on end
  • make someone's hair stand on end
  • make your hair stand on end
  • make (one's)/the hair stand up on the back of (one's) neck
  • (one's) hair stands on end
  • your hair stands on end
  • stand on end
  • make blood run cold
  • make somebody's blood run cold