goose pimples

Idioms & Phrases

goose pimples

Also, goose bumps or flesh. Temporary rough skin caused by small raised bumps. For example, Horror movies always give me goose pimples, or She tends to get goose bumps whenever she goes to the dentist. This expression likens the skin of a plucked goose to the condition of human skin when a person is cold or afraid. [Early 1800s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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