crawlies

Meanings

1. 1nounpluralinformal

   An informal word for a nervous, itchy feeling on your skin, as if small insects were crawling on you.

   Grammar: Used with the: the crawlies. It has no singular form in this sense.

   Patterns

   • get the crawlies
   • give someone the crawlies

   That story about spiders gave me the crawlies.

   I get the crawlies whenever I walk through tall grass.

2. 2nounpluralinformalfigurative

   A feeling of strong dislike or unease about something unpleasant or creepy.

   Grammar: Used with the: the crawlies. Often followed by about or from.

   Patterns

   • the crawlies about something
   • get the crawlies from something

   She got the crawlies from the way he kept staring at her.

   The old house gave everyone the crawlies, even in daylight.

Common combinations

give someone the crawlies

The dark basement gave me the crawlies.

get the crawlies

I get the crawlies just thinking about that movie.

the crawlies about something

He had the crawlies about the whole idea.

send the crawlies up someone's spine

The eerie music sent the crawlies up my spine.

Synonyms and how they differ

creeps

The creeps is very similar and more common; the crawlies sounds slightly more childish or playful.

shivers

Shivers are usually from cold or fear, while the crawlies suggest something itchy or creepy on the skin.

heebie-jeebies

A close informal synonym, but it is even more playful and old-fashioned.

Word family

crawl verb

To move on hands and knees or with the body close to the ground.

crawly adjective

Informal: making you feel as if insects are on your skin.

Commonly confused: crawlies or crawlers? crawlies or crawls?

Practice

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