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.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
make your hair stand on end
If something makes your hair stand on end, it makes you very frightened or shocked. The first ten minutes of the film made my hair stand on end. Things happened that night that would make your hair stand on end. Note: When someone is very frightened, you can say that their hair stands on end. `What's that?' Chet's hair stood on end as an eerie howling came to his ears.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012