goose-skin

A child gets goose-skin from the cold wind.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A temporary roughness of the skin: "goose-skin" refers to the condition in which small bumps appear on the surface of the skin, typically caused by cold, fear, or strong emotion. This is the same phenomenon commonly called "goosebumps" or "gooseflesh."

Usage Examples

• (Small bumps on the skin caused by cold.)
• (A physical reaction to fear.)

Advanced Usage

• "to have goose-skin": to experience the physical sensation of small bumps on the skin.

  • She had goose-skin from the excitement of the surprise party. (The bumps appeared due to strong emotional arousal.)

• "goose-skin as a metaphor": used to describe a feeling of unease or anticipation.

  • The eerie silence in the room raised goose-skin on his neck. (A sense of dread or tension.)

Variants and Related Words

• Gooseflesh (n): an alternative term for the same condition, referring to the skin's bumpy appearance.

  • The icy water gave him gooseflesh immediately. (The cold caused bumps on his skin.)

• Goosebumps (n): the most common modern term for this phenomenon, especially in informal English.

  • The singer's performance was so moving it gave me goosebumps. (A strong emotional reaction.)

Synonyms

• Prickling: a tingling or stinging sensation on the skin.
• Shivers: a trembling or quivering feeling, often associated with cold or fear.

Related Idioms

• "Make one's skin crawl": to cause a feeling of disgust, fear, or unease, similar to goose-skin.

  • The way he stared at her made her skin crawl. (A physical reaction of discomfort.)

• "Send a chill down one's spine": to cause a sudden feeling of fear or excitement.

  • The ghost story sent a chill down my spine. (A similar physical sensation to goose-skin.)