Antonyms for keyed up

Grammar : Adj, verb

Spell : kee

Phonetic Transcription : ki

Definition of keyed up

Origin : "metal piece that works a lock," from Old English cæg "key," of unknown origin, with no certain cognates other than Old Frisian kei. Perhaps related to Middle Low German keie "lance, spear" on notion of "tool to cleave with," from Proto-Germanic *ki- "to cleaver, split" (cf. German Keil "wedge," Gothic us-kijans "come forth," said of seed sprouts, keinan "to germinate"). But Liberman writes, "The original meaning of *kaig-jo- was presumably '*pin with a twisted end.' Words with the root *kai- followed by a consonant meaning 'crooked, bent; twisted' are common only in the North Germanic languages." Modern pronunciation is a northern variant predominating from c.1700; earlier it was often spelled and pronounced kay.
Figurative sense of "that which serves to open or explain" was in Old English; meaning "that which holds together other parts" is from 1520s. As "answer to a test," it is from chess, short for key move, "first move in a solution to a set problem." Musical sense of "tone, note" is 15c., but modern sense of "scale" is 1580s, probably as a translation of Latin clavis or French clef (see clef; also cf. keynote). Extended c.1500 to "mechanism on a musical instrument." As a verb meaning "to scratch (a car's paint job) with a key" it is recorded by 1986.

As in on edge : adj tense
As in overwrought : adj exhausted and excited
As in psyched : adj excited
As in pumped : adj excited
As in tense : adj under stress, pressure
As in stimulated : adj aroused
As in madding : adj frantic
As in twitchy : adj edgy
As in edgy : adj nervous
As in enthusiastic : adj interested, excited
As in excited : adj inspired; upset
As in feverish : adj excited, agitated
As in frantic : adj distressed, distracted
As in gung ho : adj full of enthusiasm
As in incite : verb encourage, provoke
As in kindle : verb excite, incite
As in push : verb incite, urge
As in rouse : verb stimulate, excite
As in spur : verb incite, prompt
As in stimulate : verb excite, provoke
As in thrill : verb excite, stimulate
As in upset : verb bother, trouble
As in wake/waken : verb excite, stimulate
As in actuate : verb start a function or action, motivate
As in goad : verb egg on, incite

Example sentences :

We were all keyed up to quite a pitch over that on account of Phil.
Extract from : « Marjorie Dean, College Sophomore » by Pauline Lester

He looked as though he was having the time of his life, all keyed up and delighted.
Extract from : « The Day of the Boomer Dukes » by Frederik Pohl

Evidently Jack was keyed up to a point close to an explosion.
Extract from : « The Banner Boy Scouts on a Tour » by George A. Warren

Nor did he have the stimulus of interest that Jim had to keep him keyed up.
Extract from : « Frontier Boys in Frisco » by Wyn Roosevelt

It was a great satisfaction to get Linda so keyed up with curiosity.
Extract from : « Nan Sherwood at Palm Beach » by Annie Roe Carr

We are keyed up, some of us, rather nervous in anticipation of to-morrow.
Extract from : « High Adventure » by James Norman Hall

All keyed up for war and no place to 164 go, and this was a kind of safety valve.
Extract from : « The Pagan Madonna » by Harold MacGrath

It40 was impossible for him to stop talking, he was so keyed up.
Extract from : « Five Little Peppers at School » by Margaret Sidney

Kate was keyed up with apprehension: "Why take chances all the time?"
Extract from : « Laramie Holds the Range » by Frank H. Spearman

The men themselves were too keyed up and excited to rest easily.
Extract from : « Planet of the Damned » by Harry Harrison

Synonyms for keyed up

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019