send shivers down someone's spine

verb

To terrify; to make someone feel extremely nervous.

“Hearing that the killer escaped prison sent shivers down my spine.”

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Meanings

verbsend shivers down someone's spine (third-person singular simple present sends shivers down someone's spine, present participle sending shivers down someone's spine, simple past and past participle sent shivers down someone's spine)

present singular third person sends shivers down someone's spine · participle present sending shivers down someone's spine · participle past sent shivers down someone's spine · past sent shivers down someone's spine · alternative send a shiver down someone's spine · alternative send a shiver up someone's spine · alternative send shivers up someone's spine · alternative send a chill down someone's spine · alternative send chills down someone's spine · alternative send a chill up someone's spine · alternative send chills up someone's spine

  1. idiomaticinformalTo terrify; to make someone feel extremely nervous.

    Hearing that the killer escaped prison sent shivers down my spine.

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 發毛 /发毛
  • 發毛 /发毛 (fāmáo)terrify
Finnish saada kylmät väreet kulkemaan pitkin selkäpiitä
  • saada kylmät väreet kulkemaan pitkin selkäpiitäterrify
French faire froid dans le dos
  • faire froid dans le dosterrify
German jemandem kalt den Rücken runterlaufen
  • jemandem kalt den Rücken runterlaufenterrify
Icelandic það fór hrollur um hann
  • það fór hrollur um hannterrify
Portuguese dar um frio na barriga
  • dar um frio na barrigaterrify
Vietnamese lạnh sống lưng
  • lạnh sống lưngterrify
Cite this entry
APA

send shivers down someone's spine. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/send%20shivers%20down%20someone's%20spine

MLA

“send shivers down someone's spine.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/send%20shivers%20down%20someone's%20spine. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “send shivers down someone's spine,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/send%20shivers%20down%20someone's%20spine.

Source: send shivers down someone's spine on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.