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SINCE 1828
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keyed up

adjective
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Definition of keyed up

informal
: in a state of nervous excitement His hands were very sure. He was confident he could do the work, yet inside he was keyed up and jumpy.— Esther Forbes, Johnny Tremain, 1943 A friend called me, too keyed up to sleep.— Mike Nichols, Life and Other Ways, 1988

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First Known Use of keyed up

1880, in the meaning defined above

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The first known use of keyed up was in 1880

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“Keyed up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keyed%20up. Accessed 29 Feb. 2020.

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