# get the wind up

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/get-the-wind-up
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To become frightened or disturbed.

## Examples

- The strange noise in the dark got the wind up.
- When the boss started asking questions about the missing files, the employees really got the wind up.
- The sudden silence in the forest got the wind up, as the travelers sensed they were being watched by something unseen.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.