freak out
noun, verb
Forms freak outs freaks out freaking out freaked out
- noun (dated slang) A negative or unpleasant experience with LSD or another psychedelic drug.
- verb (informal, intransitive) To react with extreme anger or fear, to the extent that one loses one's composure or behaves irrationally. “When Peter saw the nail poking up through his foot, he freaked out and started hyperventilating.”
- verb (informal, transitive) To scare or unnerve someone. “Don't take off your shirt when working behind the counter. You'll freak the customers out.”
- verb (informal, intransitive) To be upset or nervous; to be scared or unnerved.
- verb (informal, intransitive) To adopt an unconventional (especially countercultural) persona or appearance.
Synonyms
set one's hair on fire flip out flip shit flip one's shit disorientation freak gross out
Antonyms
Etymology
From freak + out. Countercultural slang, originally referring to a positive reaction or experience from the use of a psychotropic, usually a hallucinogenic or psychedelic drug. First use appears c. 1966 in several newspapers, particularly in the Independent (Long Beach, California).
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 — from the Wiktionary entry “freak out”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details