Panicking

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Undergoing a state of intense emotional turmoil characterized by overwhelming fear and confusion in response to an unexpected threat
2. Reacting extremely to stress or danger, often resulting in chaotic thoughts and impaired judgment
3. Experiencing a sudden surge of anxiety that leads to irrational behavior and a lack of clear thinking when faced with stressful situations

Etymology: The English word "panic" is named for a god. In Greek myth, Pan, the goat-legged god of fields and woods, was thought to be the source of strange sounds that spread groundless fear through herds and crowds, or through lone travellers in empty places. The Greek adjective "panikos" meant "pertaining to Pan," and it passed through Middle French "panique" into English as an adjective describing this sudden, overwhelming terror. The noun came later, derived from that adjective, and the verb "to panic" came after the noun. Meanwhile, the same root gave a rather different word: "panic" also names the grain plant of the genus Panicum, which came into English in the Late Middle Ages from Latin "panicum," a word of uncertain origin. The grain and the god are not related at all. They are simply two English words that happen to share a spelling.

Synonyms: freaking out, flustered, alarm, panic, hysteria

Antonyms: calm, composed, collected, untroubled, relaxed