Meaning

(Greek mythology, archaic) Alternative letter-case form of Panic (“pertaining to the Greek god Pan”)..

Definitions by Sense

1. (Greek mythology, archaic) Alternative letter-case form of Panic (“pertaining to the Greek god Pan”).
2. Of fear, fright, etc: overwhelming or sudden.
3. Pertaining to or resulting from overwhelming fear or fright.
4. (uncountable) Overwhelming fear or fright, often affecting groups of people or animals; (countable) an instance of this; a fright, a scare.
5. (countable, computing) Ellipsis of kernel panic (“on Unix-derived operating systems: an action taken by the operating system when it cannot recover from a fatal error”); (by extension) any computer system crash.
6. (countable, economics, finance) A rapid reduction in asset prices due to broad efforts to raise cash in anticipation of such prices continuing to decline.
7. (countable, US, originally theater, colloquial) A highly amusing or entertaining performer, performance, or show; a riot, a scream.
8. To cause (someone) to feel panic (“overwhelming fear or fright”); also, to frighten (someone) into acting hastily.

Example Sentences

All things were there in a diſordered confuſion, and in a confuſed furie, vntill ſuch time as by prayers and ſacrifices they had appeaſed the wrath of their Gods. They call it to this day, the P[a]nike terror.

So long as Epaminondas was captaine general of the Thebans, there was never ſeene in his campe any of theſe ſudden fooliſh frights, without any certeine cauſe, which they call Panique Terrores.

But why dwell I ſo intolerable long about Tolerations, I hope my feares are but panick, againſt which I have a double cordiall.

[L]ike a couragious Captain does all he can to imbody his Army; he perſwades, threats, oppoſes, and cries aloud, that albeit Bickermanſe was ſlain yet He was living; yea that many as good Officers as Bickermanſe were in the Army; But in vain; for ſuch was their diſorder and pannick fear, that impoſſible it was to revoke them: […]

Suſpicion, with Sedition join'd, are near; And Rumors rais'd, and Murmurs mix'd, and Panique Fear.

At that moment a flight of birds passed close overhead, and at the whirr of their wings a panic fear seized her.

Terrified, he looked down from the skies At the waves, and panic blackness filled his eyes.

[H]e perceived how that many women followed his ſouldiers, ſome being their wives, and ſome wanting nothing to make them ſo but marriage, […] The King coming to a great river, after his men and the wagons were paſſed over, cauſed the bridge to be broken down, hoping ſo to be rid of theſe feminine impediments; but they on a ſudden liſt up a panick ſhrick which pierced the skies, and the ſouldiers hearts on the other ſide of the river, who inſtantly vowed not to ſtirre a foot farther, except with baggage, and that the women might be fetch'd over, which was done accordingly.

Word Forms

• more panic
• most panic
• panick
• panics
• panicking
• panicked

Synonyms for panic

Related Words

When Should You Use Panic?

Use panic when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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