goose flesh

noun
a rough condition of the skin, resembling that of a plucked goose, induced by cold or fear; horripilation.
Also, goose·flesh.
Also called goose pimples, goose bumps, goose skin.


Origin:
1375–1425; late Middle English

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To goose bumps
Collins
World English Dictionary
goose flesh
 
n
goose bumps, goose pimples, Also called: goose skin the bumpy condition of the skin induced by cold, fear, etc, caused by contraction of the muscles at the base of the hair follicles with consequent erection of papillae: so called because of the resemblance to the skin of a freshly-plucked fowl

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
00:10
Goose bumps is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

goose bumps pl.n.
Momentary roughness of the skin caused by erection of the papillae in response to cold or fear. Also called cutis anserina, goose flesh, goose pimples.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
The thought of it is enough to give you goose bumps.
She's never experienced an earthquake so the whole thing gave her goose bumps.
If this does not give you goose bumps, you have not thought about it long
  enough.
Goose bumps raise the hairs on the body to form a layer of insulation.
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT