hairy
adj.adj. dangerous, scary, or difficult to deal with. You use this when a situation makes you feel nervous or stressed because things could go wrong.
adj. characterised by danger, difficulty, or anxiety-inducing uncertainty. Informal in register; typically describes situations, journeys, or close encounters rather than people.
The drive through the mountain pass was a bit hairy.
We had a hairy moment when the engine stalled in the middle of the busy intersection.
Navigating the legal loopholes of the new tax code proved to be a hairy experience even for the most seasoned accountants on the team.
From Middle English hery, heeri, hary, equivalent to hair + -y. Compare Saterland Frisian hierich (“hairy”), West Frisian hierrich (“hairy”), Dutch harig (“hairy”), German Low German harig (“hairy”), German haarig (“hairy”), Swedish hårig (“hairy”), Icelandic hárugur (“hairy”). Compare also Old English hǣriht (“hairy”) and ġehǣre (“hairy”). The sense "terrifying, scary" possibly results from a blend of hair-raising and scary.
Often used with 'a bit' or 'really' to describe the intensity of a risky situation.