get a sinking feeling

To develop an acute feeling of dread indicating that something bad has happened or is about to happen. As soon as I met him, I started getting a sinking feeling that he had bad intentions. When I heard about the plane crash, I immediately got a sinking feeling that it was the flight my friend was on. Of course I got a sinking feeling when I saw the police officers at the door—you know they're only here to deliver bad news.