intransitive. To speak or act madly or excitedly; to make a great fuss, outcry, or uproar; to show great agitation or distress. Now colloquial and reg…

figurative. To be in a state of inward agitation, turmoil, or ‘ferment’. Said of a person in trouble, fever, etc.; of plans, elements of…

intransitive. To tremble with fear or agitation; also simply, †To shake, be agitated (obsolete).

to take on oneself: to show great agitation or distress; = to take on 5 at phrasal verbs 1. Obsolete. rare.

To tremble with excitement; to be excited with hope, apprehension, or pleasure, etc.

intransitive. To make a fuss; to fuss, worry; to puzzle, expend mental effort (over something).

to be upon the nettle (also in a nettle) and variants: to be in a state of uneasiness or impatience. Obsolete.

to be all nerve (also to be nerve all over): to be hypersensitive or excessively nervous. Obsolete.

to be all nerve (also to be nerve all over): to be hypersensitive or excessively nervous. Obsolete.

to be (all) on wires: to be in a state of nervous excitement or anxiety; to be tense or on edge. Now rare.

transitive. To disconcert, upset, disturb; to excite; spec. (originally U.S.) to convulse with laughter. Also intransitive. colloquial.

intransitive. Originally U.S. To indulge in behaviour regarded as inappropriate or unacceptable; esp. (colloquial) to speak or behave in an…

to be on (occasionally uponor on the) edge: to be excited or irritable (cf. 2d).

intransitive. To fuss, to dither. Often with about. Also as n., fuss, ‘flap’.

Slang phr. (originally U.S.), to have kittens: to lose one's composure; to get into a ‘flap’.

intransitive. colloquial. To speak (anxiously) about; to be upset; to become agitated; to fuss; to panic. (Cf. flap, n. 2c.) Also (transitive) to f…

colloquial. figurative. A state of worry, agitation, fuss, or excitement. Esp. in phrases, to be in, get in(to), a flap. Also spec., an alert…

Not in actual or regular use at the time spoken of, but carried, held, or kept in reserve for future… to go spare: (a) to be unemployed; (b) to…

slang (originally U.S.). Composure, relaxedness; poise, self-control. Esp. in to keep (also blow, lose) one's cool.

= faff, v.

Slang phrase to get one's knickers in a twist: to become unduly agitated or angry (jocular).

slang (originally and chiefly Irish English). to have a canary: to lose one's composure; to be extremely upset.

To void urine in (one's bed, clothes). to wet one's pants figurative, to become excited or upset (as if to the extent of involuntarily voiding urine).

slang (originally and chiefly U.S.). Also in form tweek. Frequently with out. intransitive. To become agitated, twitchy, or overstimulated, esp…