subs. (common).—The peculiar thrill resulting from an undefinable sense of dread. [Literally a ‘crawling’ of the flesh as with fear.] Also known as GOOSE-FLESH, COLD SHIVERS, and COLD WATER DOWN THE BACK.
1836. DICKENS, Pickwick Papers. I wants to make yer flesh CREEP.
1864. YATES, Broken to Harness, ch. xiii. [Late Autumn.] Dreary down in old country mansions … where the servants, town-bred, commence to be colded, sniffy, to have shivers and ‘CREEPS.’
1870. London Figaro, 27 June. ‘A River Romance.’ Talking about bodies, I could give you the CREEPS with what I’ve seen.
1883. The Lute, 15 Jan., p. 18, col. 2. We see the great tragedian holding on to a chair, and giving his audience CREEPS with the ‘Dream of Eugene Aram.’
1890. Globe, 22 May, p. 1, col. 4. Miss Gertrude is the sister of Mrs. Chanler-Rives (better known as Amélie, or still better as the writer of The Quick or the Dead, by which many ladylike persons have been given ‘the CREEPS’).
