heart misses a

beat

If your heart misses (or skips) a beat, you have sudden feeling of
fear or excitement.
When the lights suddenly went out, my heart missed a beat.

heebie-jeebies

A state of apprehension, nervousness or anxiety is called

the heebie-jeebies.
Having to go down to the car park at night gives me the heebiejeebies.

cat on hot bricks

A person who is like a cat on hot bricks is very nervous or

restless.
The week before the results were published, she was like a cat on
hot bricks.

bated breath

If you wait for something with bated breath, you are both
anxious and excited about an imminent event.
We waited with bated breath for the winner to be
announced.

make your blood run

cold

If something makes your blood run cold, it shocks or

scares you a lot.
The look in the prisoner's eye made my blood run cold!

ump out of your skin

If you jump out of your skin, you

are extremely surprised or shocked.
Jane nearly jumped out of her skin
when the horse put its head through
the kitchen window!

get your knickers in a twist

If you get your knickers in a

twist, you are anxious, nervous, or
angry faced with a difficult
situation.
Don't get your knickers in a twist!
Everything is under control.

nerves of steel

Someone who has nerves of steel is

not afraid in difficult or dangerous
situations.
Fire-fighters need to have nerves of
steel.