Definitions for Panicˈpæn ɪk

Random House Webster's College Dictionary

pan•icˈpæn ɪk(n.; adj.; v.)-icked, -ick•ing.

(n.)a sudden overwhelming fear that produces hysterical behavior and that can spread quickly through a crowd.
Category: Psychiatry
an instance, outbreak, or period of such fear.
Category: Psychiatry
an anxiety disorder characterized by feelings of impending doom and physical symptoms such as trembling and hyperventilation.
Category: Psychiatry
a sudden widespread fear that the economy is faltering, causing stock values to fall and some banks to fail, as investments and savings are hastily withdrawn.
Category: Business
Informal. someone or something that is considered hilariously funny.
Category: Status (usage)
(adj.)of the nature of, caused by, or indicating panic:
panic selling of stocks.
(cap.) of or pertaining to the god Pan.
(v.t.)to affect with panic.
Informal. to keep (an audience or the like) highly amused.
Category: Status (usage)
(v.i.)to be stricken with panic; become frantic with fear.

Origin of panic:

1595–1605; earlier panique < F < Gk Panikós of Pan ; see -ic

pan′ick•y(adj.)

pan•icˈpæn ɪk(n.)

any grass of the genus Panicum, many species of which bear edible grain.
Category: Plants

Origin of panic:

1375–1425; late ME < L pānicum a kind of millet

Princeton's WordNet

panic, terror, affright(noun)
an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
panic, scare(verb)
sudden mass fear and anxiety over anticipated events
"panic in the stock market"; "a war scare"; "a bomb scare led them to evacuate the building"
panic(verb)
be overcome by a sudden fear
"The students panicked when told that final exams were less than a week away"
panic(verb)
cause sudden fear in or fill with sudden panic
"The mere thought of an isolation cell panicked the prisoners"

Kernerman English Learner's Dictionary

panic(noun)ˈpæn ɪk
≠ calm
There was widespread panic in the area around the explosion.; I got in a panic about all the work I had to do.
panic(verb)ˈpæn ɪk
to be too frightened to think clearly, or to cause sb to do this
Don't panic - everyone stay calm.; Any sudden moves will panic the animals.

Wiktionary

panic(Noun)
Overpowering fright, often affecting groups of people or animals.
panic(Noun)
Rapid reduction in asset prices due to broad efforts to raise cash in anticipation of continuing decline in asset prices.
panic(Verb)
To feel overwhelming fear.
panic(Adjective)
Pertaining to the god Pan.
panic(Adjective)
Of fear, fright etc: sudden or overwhelming (attributed by the ancient Greeks to the influence of Pan).
Panic(Adjective)
Pandean

Origin: From panique, from πανικός. Pan is the god of woods and fields who was the source of mysterious sounds that caused contagious, groundless fear in herds and crowds, or in people in lonely spots.

Webster Dictionary

Panic(noun)
a plant of the genus Panicum; panic grass; also, the edible grain of some species of panic grass
Panic(adj)
extreme or sudden and causeless; unreasonable; -- said of fear or fright; as, panic fear, terror, alarm
Panic(adj)
a sudden, overpowering fright; esp., a sudden and groundless fright; terror inspired by a trifling cause or a misapprehension of danger; as, the troops were seized with a panic; they fled in a panic
Panic(adj)
by extension: A sudden widespread fright or apprehension concerning financial affairs