have a panic attack

1. To have an episode of acute anxiety and fear, marked by such physical symptoms as heart palpitations and hyperventilation. Back when I used to have panic attacks regularly, it got so bad that I was afraid to leave the house. A: "Are you OK?" B: "No, but I'm trying deep breathing exercises so that I don't have a full-on panic attack!" A few years ago, I couldn't even get behind the wheel without having a panic attack, but I'm much more relaxed about driving these days.

2. By extension, to have a particularly frightening or jarring experience. I thought I had lost my keys and just about had a panic attack. Man, I almost had a panic attack when the sound of sirens woke me up in the middle of the night. I almost had a panic attack when I saw that car swerving toward me.

hit the panic button

To overreact to a negative situation with an inordinate amount of fear, alarm, or confusion. If you're going to be a successful boss, you can't hit the panic button every time your company has a minor setback. New parents tend to hit the panic button over every little sniffle their first baby gets. You learn to chill out when you have more kids. Don't hit the panic button. I know this isn't an ideal turn of events, but we'll figure something out—we always do.

panic (one) by (doing something)

To do something that causes one to experience an extreme or debilitating amount of fear or anxiety. Forecasters panicked millions of people by incorrectly predicting the path of the hurricane. I think you panicked him by bursting out the door like that.

panic at (something)

To experience an extreme or debilitating amount of fear or anxiety when presented with something. Everyone's panicking at the forecast, but I honestly don't think there's anything worth worrying about. Everything is more expensive in this city, so don't panic at the cost of dinner when they bring out the bill, OK?

panic attack

1. An episode of acute anxiety and fear, marked by such physical symptoms as heart palpitations and hyperventilation. My panic attacks got so bad at one point that I was afraid to leave the house.

2. By extension, a particularly frightening, jarring, or anxious experience. I thought I had lost my keys and just about had a panic attack.

panic stations

A shared feeling of extreme anxiety, stress, and urgency, especially in the face of a looming deadline. Even though we've been preparing for months, it's still been panic stations in the office as we get the product ready for launch.

press the panic button

To overreact to a negative situation with an inordinate amount of fear, alarm, or confusion. If you're going to be a successful boss, you can't press the panic button every time your company has a minor setback. New parents tend to press the panic button over every little sniffle their first baby gets.

push the panic button

To overreact to a negative situation with an inordinate amount of fear, alarm, or confusion. If you're going to be a successful boss, you can't push the panic button every time your company has a minor setback. New parents tend to push the panic button over every little sniffle their first baby gets. You learn to chill out when you have more kids.

hit the panic button

and press the panic button; push the panic button

Fig. to panic suddenly. She hit the panic button and just went to pieces. Don't press the panic button. Relax and keep your eyes open.

panic at something

to lose control in a frightening or shocking situation. Try not to panic at what you see. It will be a shock. Don't panic at the price of food. It will be worse next week.

panic someone by something

to make someone lose control by doing something. She panicked Denise by describing the event too vividly. She panicked her horse by jerking the reins too tightly.

push the panic button

Also, press the panic button. Overreact to a situation, as in Don't worry; Jane is always pushing the panic button, but I'm sure the baby's fine. This term originated during World War II, when certain bombers had a bell-warning system so that the crew could bail out if the plane was severely hit. Occasionally a pilot would push the button in error, when there was only minor damage, causing the crew to bail out unnecessarily. By 1950 the expression had been transferred to other kinds of overreaction.

press (or push or hit) the panic button

respond to a situation by panicking or taking emergency measures. informal

A panic button is a security device which can be used to raise the alarm in an emergency.

ˈpanic stations

(British English, informal) a situation in which people feel anxious and there is a lot of confused activity, especially because there is a lot to do in a short period of time: At the moment it’s panic stations in the office because we’re preparing for the president’s visit next week.In the navy, a call to action stations means that each sailor takes the position that they should have when in battle. Panic stations is a humorous comparison with this.

press/push the ˈpanic button

(British English) react in a sudden or an extreme way to something unexpected that has frightened you: Although the team lost yet another match on Saturday, their manager is refusing to press the panic button.

hit the panic button

and press the panic button and push the panic button

tv. to panic. She hit the panic button and just went to pieces. Don’t press the panic button until you think it through.

press the panic button

verb

See hit the panic button

push the panic button

verb

See hit the panic button

panic

n. a very funny or exciting person or thing. Paul is a panic. He tells a joke a minute.

push the panic button, to

To overreact to a supposed emergency. This term originated during World War II, when B-17 and B-24 bombers had a bell-warning system so that the crew could bail out when the plane was badly hit. Occasionally this button would be pushed by mistake and the crew would bail out unnecessarily, even though the plane was virtually undamaged. By extension, the term came to mean acting in needless haste. In the 1950s it gained currency—and a more sinister meaning—when it also referred to releasing a nuclear warhead by pushing a button.