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fever

fever

73 6.6
A time of very strong excitement and busy activity
  • noun
  • /ˈfiːvər/
: fiebre
  • You're all in a fever, you've had nothing to eat yet.
  • at fever pitch
  • gold fever
  • war fever

The Cartesian plan came from a fever dream that he had.

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Examples

  • Saddened, disoriented by events as much as by fever, I crawled back to bed.

    Academic text (1997)
  • It's like I have some sort of fever.

  • OK, some people get a fever if they think too hard.

  • I think I have a fever.

  • I'm always in a fever whenever I'm around you.

  • The young man's ambition had been like a fever in his blood, burning away conscience.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Outbreaks of chikungunya fever are sporadic, and there is no licensed vaccine to protect against the disease.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Serbian nationalism reached a fever pitch during the run-up to the dissolution of Yugoslavia.

    Academic text (2007)
  • His fans happily diagnose themselves with "Bieber Fever," an obsessive devotion to the fresh-faced pop star.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The excitement of the crowd reached a fever pitch during the final moments of the game.

Synonyms

hysteria
vsfever
82 6.1

An extreme, uncontrolled feeling of fear or excitement

is intense nervous agitation but not usually full panic or loss of control
mania
vsfever
34 6.6

A strong, often sudden interest in something like a toy or hobby that many people like

is nervous agitation rather than a sustained irrational obsession
agitation
vsfever
14 5.1

A feeling of nervous worry and restlessness

is a more intense, specifically nervous form of that disturbance
1 3.1

A strong feeling of joy and energy that makes you unable to sit still

is specifically a nervous, agitated condition rather than general excitement
franticness
vsfever
1 6.0

A strong feeling of worry that makes people act very quickly

is intense nervous excitement but less chaotic and uncontrolled
feverishness
vsfever
1 6.9

A state of strong excitement and restless activity

is the same intense nervous agitation rather than a different feeling
febrile excitement
vsfever
  • Formal
9.1

A state of very strong, nervous eagerness and energy about something

focuses more on nervous agitation than on enthusiastic drive

Antonyms

55 4.4

A calm, peaceful feeling without worry

34 5.1

Calm control of your feelings and actions in a difficult situation

11 2.7

A state without strong feelings or worry in your mind

Idioms

A time when excitement or tension is very high

Compounds

yellow fever
  • Specialized
12 3.7

A serious disease spread by mosquitoes that makes the skin turn yellow

fever pitch
  • Informal
9 5.3

A time when people feel very strong excitement together

8 2.7

An allergy that makes your nose and eyes itchy and runny in spring and summer

A contagious childhood disease that causes fever, sore throat, and a red rash

hemorrhagic fever
  • Specialized
5 8.2

A serious illness from some viruses that causes high fever and bleeding inside the body

dengue fever
  • Specialized
4 4.0

A disease in hot countries spread by mosquitoes that causes fever, rash and severe head and joint pain

jungle fever
  • Archaic
4 7.9

A severe form of malaria that happens in tropical areas

typhoid fever
  • Specialized
4 3.9

A serious bacterial illness spread by dirty food or water causing high fever and stomach pain

valley fever
  • Specialized
3 6.5

A lung infection from breathing in fungus spores in dry dusty areas that causes cough, fever, and sometimes skin lumps

rheumatic fever
  • Specialized
3 5.4

A serious disease mainly affecting children that causes joint pain and lasting heart valve damage

2 5.5

A strong excitement and greed to find gold during a gold rush

brain fever
  • Archaic
2 9.9

An old name for a serious infection of the brain or its lining

baby fever
  • Informal
1 6.8

A strong sudden wish to have a baby

Lassa fever
  • Specialized
1 7.8

A serious viral illness from West Africa spread by rats that causes fever and muscle pain and can be fatal

1 8.2

A serious illness caused by a virus that causes fever, makes you bleed, and damages blood vessels

fever swamp
  • Informal
1 9.9

A confused situation full of rumours and wrong information

Ebola fever
  • Specialized
1 4.6

A very serious disease that causes high fever, internal bleeding, and often death

blackwater fever
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A severe form of malaria that destroys red blood cells and causes dark urine and kidney failure

An illness caused by germs that gives you fever and a spotted skin rash

mountain fever
  • Specialized
1 7.3

A disease from tick bites that causes fever and a spotted rash

Rift Valley fever
  • Specialized
1 6.8

An illness in Africa that infects animals and people and spreads by mosquitoes or contact with sick animals

swamp fever
  • Specialized
1 8.1

An infection people get from animals that causes fever and yellow skin

Repeated shivering and high body temperature that often happen with an infection

Q fever
  • Specialized
1 6.0

An infection from a germ carried by farm animals that causes fever, chills and headache

rabbit fever
  • Specialized
1 8.5

A disease in rabbits and other small animals that can spread to people by ticks, flies or touching infected animals

1 5.5

A serious disease from germs spread by tick bites that causes fever and a rash

puerperal fever
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A serious infection women get after childbirth or abortion from unclean conditions

Mediterranean fever
  • Specialized
1 7.6

An illness people get from infected animals or raw dairy when germs enter the body, causing fever and headache

1 5.1

A small painful sore on the lip or face caused by the herpes virus

shipping fever
  • Specialized
1 7.7

A serious illness in cattle or sheep after long travel that causes high fever and lung infection

breakbone fever
  • Archaic
1 5.3

A tropical disease spread by mosquitoes that causes high fever, rash and very bad joint and muscle pain

1 5.8

A severe, often deadly virus disease that causes high fever, bleeding, and spreads by contact with body fluids

miliary fever
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A serious sickness in the 1500s that spread between people and caused heavy sweating and many deaths

jungle fever
  • Archaic
1 8.2

A strong wish to travel to wild places like rainforests for adventure

typhus fever
  • Specialized
1 7.3

A serious infection spread by lice or fleas that causes high fever, headache, and a skin rash

relapsing fever
  • Specialized
1 7.3

A disease that causes repeated high fevers and chills and spreads by lice or ticks

dandy fever
  • Archaic
1 8.6

A tropical disease spread by mosquitoes that causes fever, rash, and joint pain

1 9.2

A feeling of nervousness or excitement just before boarding a plane

buck fever
  • Jargon
1 9.6

A nervous feeling a beginner hunter has when they see an animal

1 9.0

A tree whose bark or leaves are used to treat fever

recurrent fever
  • Specialized
1 7.5

A disease that causes repeated high fevers with chills, headaches, and muscle pain often from lice or tick bites

1 4.2

An infectious illness that causes fever, tiredness, and swollen glands

yellow-fever mosquito
  • Specialized
1 6.2

A small biting insect that spreads yellow fever and dengue

undulant fever
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A disease people get from animals or animal products that causes repeated fevers and headaches

1 6.5

An illness spread by tick bites that causes fever and body aches

childbed fever
  • Archaic
1 8.4

A serious infection women get after childbirth or abortion from poor hygiene

1 9.3

A strong desire to reach a mountain top that makes people take risky actions

rock fever
  • Specialized
1 9.4

A sickness you catch from sick animals, meat, or milk that causes fever and headache

Texas fever
  • Specialized
1 9.8

A disease of cows that causes fever, makes them weak, and spreads by ticks

1 9.7

Severe viral illness that causes high fever, bleeding, and brain problems mainly in Argentina

parrot fever
  • Specialized
1 7.2

An infection people get from sick birds, often parrots, that causes lung illness

enteric fever
  • Specialized
1 8.1

A serious disease that causes high fever and stomach pain from unsafe food or water

1 9.9

A rare serious disease caused by a virus that causes high fever and heavy bleeding and often leads to death

trench fever
  • Specialized
1 8.1

A disease causing fever, headaches, and muscle pain spread by lice

Haverhill fever
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A disease after a rat bite that causes fever, a rash, and joint pain

paratyphoid fever
  • Specialized
1 7.4

An infectious sickness of the stomach and intestines caused by bacteria that causes a high body temperature and stomach pain

catarrhal fever
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A disease that spreads among farm animals and causes fever and swelling in the nose and throat

9.6

A disease spread by tick bites that causes fever and a spotted rash

canicola fever
  • Specialized
9.3

An infectious illness that causes fever, stomach pain or vomiting and yellow skin in people and dogs

8.0

A serious bacterial infection that affects the coverings of the brain and spinal cord and often causes meningitis

A serious disease caused by a virus spread by ticks, with high fever and bleeding

deer fly fever
  • Specialized
9.9

A fever people can catch from ticks, flies, or touching infected wild animals like rabbits

dumdum fever
  • Archaic
9.9

A serious infection caused by tiny parasites that affects internal organs like the liver and spleen

Assam fever
  • Indian
9.0

A serious disease caused by a parasite that attacks the spleen and liver

Malta fever
  • Archaic
8.9

A disease people get from animals or raw milk that causes fever and flu-like symptoms

9.9

A disease that spreads to people from ticks that live on dogs near the Mediterranean

Gibraltar fever
  • Archaic
8.1

An illness from bacteria people get from animals or raw milk that causes fever and headache

8.3

A disease caused by tiny germs that spreads to people from reddish-brown ticks on dogs and other animals

Kenya fever
  • Specialized
9.9

A disease spread by bites from infected ticks, causing fever and other illness

ratbite fever
  • Specialized
9.3

An illness you get from a rat or mouse bite that causes fever, headache and a skin rash

7.9

A germ that makes you have a fever after a rat bites you

pappataci fever
  • Specialized
9.9

A mild illness from sand fly bites that makes you hot and tired

sandfly fever
  • Specialized
7.5

A mild illness caused by a virus spread by sand fly bites that causes fever and muscle pain

How Agitated

hysteria
82 6.1
frenzy
115 4.9
fever
73 6.6
excitement
417 1.0
agitation
14 5.1
nervousness
33 2.7
unease
21 4.4

Surface Forms

fever singular
fevers plural

Etymology

Fever is also used to mean strong excitement or nervous energy because people compared the hot, restless feeling of excitement to a real medical fever. So a 'fever of activity' describes a kind of heated, excited state, just like the heat of a body with a fever.