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Freak out
Definitions
- 1 A negative or unpleasant experience with LSD or another psychedelic drug. dated, slang
- 2 a wild delusion (especially one induced by a hallucinogenic drug) wordnet
- 1 To react with extreme anger or fear, to the extent that one loses one's composure or behaves irrationally. informal, intransitive
"When Peter saw the nail poking up through his foot, he freaked out and started hyperventilating."
- 2 lose one's nerve wordnet
- 3 To scare or unnerve someone. informal, transitive
"Don't take off your shirt when working behind the counter. You'll freak the customers out."
- 4 To be upset or nervous; to be scared or unnerved. informal, intransitive
- 5 To adopt an unconventional (especially countercultural) persona or appearance. informal, intransitive
"Formed in the heart of the British Invasion in 1964 as the Nevadas, the Jacks decided to freak out and grow their hair long."
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).
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).
See also for "freak out"
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