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Glite Dictionary
squirrelly behavior

squirrelly behavior

1 9.0
Nervous, strange actions that make people feel uneasy
  • noun
  • /ˈskwɜrli bɪˈheɪvjər/
  • Informal
: comportamiento nervioso
  • Whenever he feels stressed, he starts to show some really squirrelly behavior.

Examples

  • Her squirrelly behavior during the meeting made the team uneasy.

  • The manager addressed the intern's squirrelly behavior by having a calm conversation with her.

  • His squirrelly behavior during the meeting raised some eyebrows.

  • Don't you think her squirrelly behavior is a bit concerning?

  • His constant fidgeting and squirrelly behavior made everyone in the meeting feel uneasy.

  • The child's squirrelly behavior during the presentation caught the teacher's attention.

  • Her squirrelly behavior at the party raised some eyebrows among the guests.

Synonyms

flightiness
vssquirrelly behavior
1 8.1

A tendency to change plans or feelings suddenly without thinking

is more nervous and makes others feel uneasy or suspicious
temperamental behavior
vssquirrelly behavior
1 7.2

Sudden unpredictable mood changes that affect how a person acts

is more nervous and suggests furtive or suspicious conduct

Antonyms

calm
680 1.0

Not showing strong feelings and being very still

steady-going
  • UK
1 4.9

A person who stays calm and acts in a reliable way

How Erratic

squirrelly behavior
  • Informal
1 9.0
oddity
1 5.9

Surface Forms

squirrelly behavior singular
squirrelly behaviors plural

Morphology

squirrelly + behavior

The adjective 'squirrelly' (restless, behaving strangely) directly modifies 'behavior', so the sense 'nervous, unpredictable, or erratic conduct' is a straightforward compositional interpretation. Although 'squirrelly' is informal, the adjective+noun structure is transparent and a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Squirrelly behavior comes from the image of a small, nervous squirrel that darts around, hides things, and acts a bit strange. So, 'squirrelly behavior' describes actions that are 'nervous', 'unpredictable', or that make other people feel 'uneasy'.