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panic1 definition

panic (pan′ik)

noun

any of several grasses (genus Panicum), as millet, used as fodder
also panic grass

Etymology: ME panyk < L panicum, kind of millet < panus, ear of millet, a swelling < IE base *pank-, to swell > Pol pąk, a bud

panic2 definition

panic (pan′ik)

adjective

  1. literally of Pan
  2. of sudden fear, as supposedly inspired by Pan
  3. having the nature of, or showing or resulting from, panic

Etymology: Fr panique < Gr panikos, of Pan, after Pan

noun

  1. a sudden, unreasoning, hysterical fear, often spreading quickly
  2. a widespread fear of the collapse of the financial system, resulting in unreasoned attempts to turn property into cash, withdraw money, etc.
  3. Slang a person or thing considered extremely humorous or entertaining

transitive verb panicked -·icked, panicking -·ick·ing

  1. to affect with panic
  2. Slang to convulse (a listener, audience, etc.) with laughter, delight, etc.

intransitive verb

to give way to or show panic

Related Forms:

panic Idioms

push the panic button

or press the panic button or hit the panic button☆
Slang to panic; specif., to react to a crisis with some frantic, often disastrous action

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

finance panic definition - finance

idioms panic idiom

medical panic definition - medical

panic Synonyms

panic

n.

  1. Overpowering fright

    fear, dread, alarm, fright; see fear 1.

  2. Mob action, impelled by panic, sense 1

    mob hysteria, group hysteria, frenzy, crush, rush, jam; see also confusion 2.

  3. A wave of financial hysteria

    run on the bank, crash, economic decline; see depression 3. See syn. study at fear.

push the panic button*

panic, become afraid, dread; see fear 1.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

panic Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • ensue: In the ensuing panic, the criminal makes his getaway.

Adjective modifier

  • 'moral: Describe what is meant by the term 'moral panic ' , using your own words as far as possible.

Modifies a noun

  • attack: A useful feature is the two panic attack buttons located on the top of the keypad.

Noun used with modifier

  • kernel: And why does the kernel panic once is does see more memory?
panic usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

panic quotes

Don't Panic.

-Adams, Douglas Noe«  l

Wee, sleeket, cowrin, tim'rous beastie, O, what a panic's in thy breastie! Thou need na start awa sae hasty Wi' bickering brattle! I wad be laith to rin an'chase thee, Wi'murd'ring pattle!

-Burns, Robert

Paris is a beast of a city to be inöto those who cannot getoutof it.Rousseausaidwell, that allthetimehewasin it, he was only trying how he should leave it† The continual panic inwhichthe passenger iskept, thealarm and the escape from it, the anger and the laughter at it, must haveaneffectonthe Parisian character, and tend to make it the whiffling, skittish, snappish, volatile, inconsequential, unmeaning thing it is.

-Hazlitt,William

panic quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"panic." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/panic>

APA Style

panic. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/panic

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