all-overs: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, Colloquial
Quick answer
What does “all-overs” mean?
A state of vague unease, anxiety, or nervousness.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A state of vague unease, anxiety, or nervousness; a feeling of 'creepy' discomfort.
A colloquial term for jitters or the heebie-jeebies; a sense of physical or psychological discomfort that is pervasive but not easily pinpointed to a single cause.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is primarily American, though it may be understood in the UK due to media exposure. British speakers are more likely to use 'the creeps', 'the willies', or 'the jitters'.
Connotations
In AmE, it often conveys a folksy, slightly rural or old-fashioned tone. It can describe a reaction to something eerie, unsettling, or to a situation causing general anxiety.
Frequency
Infrequent in contemporary AmE, considered dated by younger speakers. Rare in BrE.
Grammar
How to Use “all-overs” in a Sentence
[Subject] have/get/give [Indirect Object] the all-overs.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “all-overs” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- That abandoned house always gives me the all-overs.
American English
- Watching that old horror movie gave me the all-overs.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely, if ever, used.
Academic
Not used.
Everyday
Used in informal conversation to describe a feeling of nervous discomfort, e.g., about a strange situation or place.
Technical
Not used.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “all-overs”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “all-overs”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “all-overs”
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'an all-over').
- Using it without 'the' (e.g., 'I have all-overs').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a low-frequency, informal, and somewhat dated American colloquialism.
No, it is a fixed phrase almost always used with the definite article 'the' (e.g., 'the all-overs').
'The all-overs' is a vivid, physical, and informal metaphor for a specific type of diffuse, creeping anxiety. 'Anxiety' is the standard, broader psychological term.
It is primarily an Americanism. British speakers would be more likely to say 'the creeps' or 'the willies'.
A state of vague unease, anxiety, or nervousness.
All-overs is usually informal, colloquial in register.
All-overs: in British English it is pronounced /ˈɔːlˌəʊvəz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈɔːlˌoʊvərz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It gives me the all-overs.”
- “I've got a bad case of the all-overs.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine feeling so nervous that the unease is crawling ALL OVER your skin – you have the 'all-overs'.
Conceptual Metaphor
ANXIETY IS A PHYSICAL COVERING (creeping/crawling over the body).
Practice
Quiz
What does 'have the all-overs' typically express?