skittishness
/'skitiʃnis/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: - A state or quality of being easily frightened, nervous, or jumpy: Skittishness describes a tendency to be quickly alarmed, anxious, or excitable, often resulting in unpredictable or fidgety behavior. It implies a high-strung or overly sensitive disposition.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- The horse's skittishness made it difficult to approach during the thunderstorm.
- Her skittishness in social situations was evident from her constant fidgeting.
- The skittishness of the financial markets was caused by the unexpected news.
Advanced Usage
- "to display/show skittishness": to exhibit nervous or easily frightened behavior.
- The new investor displayed a certain skittishness, selling his shares at the first sign of a downturn.
- "a touch/hint of skittishness": a small amount of nervous excitability.
- There was a hint of skittishness in his voice as he gave the presentation.
Variants and Related Words
- Skittish (adj): Easily frightened or excited; nervous.
- The skittish cat hid under the bed.
- Skittishly (adv): In a nervous, jumpy, or easily frightened manner.
- The deer looked skittishly around before crossing the road.
Synonyms
- Nervousness: The state of being anxious or apprehensive.
- Jitteriness: A state of nervous restlessness.
- Timidity: Lack of courage or confidence.
- Flightiness: The quality of being fickle and irresponsible, often related to being easily excited or distracted.
Antonyms
- Calmness: The state of being peaceful and untroubled.
- Boldness: Willingness to take risks; confidence.
- Composure: The state of being calm and in control of oneself.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- "To have a case of the jitters": To feel nervous or anxious. (This idiom is a close conceptual cousin to skittishness, describing a temporary state of nervousness.)
- He had a case of the jitters before his big interview.
Noun
- characterized by nervousness and quickness to take fright