put the wind up (someone)

idiom

British, informal
: to make (someone) afraid or nervous
I tried to put the wind up him by threatening to call the police.

Examples of put the wind up (someone) in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Other factors that could put the wind up investors: a rise in new coronavirus infections from variants, and signs of a pickup in options that suggest high volatility. Larry Light, Forbes, 28 Apr. 2021

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Cite this Entry

“Put the wind up (someone).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/put%20the%20wind%20up%20%28someone%29. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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