put the wind up


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Related to put the wind up: get wind of, throwing caution to the wind

put the wind up (someone)

To make someone very anxious, upset, or frightened. If they keep putting pressure on you, we'll threaten them with legal action; that should put the wind up them!
See also: put, up, wind
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

put (or have) the wind up

alarm or frighten (or be alarmed or frightened). British informal
One of the earliest recorded uses of this expression was in a letter from the poet Wilfred Owen in 1918 : ‘Shells so close that they thoroughly put the wind up a Life Guardsman in the trench with me’.
See also: put, up, wind
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
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