creepy-crawlies

IPA/ˌkriː.piˈkrɔː.li/
IPA/ˌkriː.piˈkrɑː.li/

creepy-crawlies — noun

1. small insects or similar creatures that crawl around and make many people feel n

1.名詞B1
釋義

small insects or similar creatures that crawl around and make many people feel nervous or disgusted.

例句

Noor jumped back when creepy-crawlies spilled from the old flowerpot.

creepy-crawlies + plural verb

The basement walls were damp and full of creepy-crawlies after the flood.

full of creepy-crawlies

同義詞
  • bug

    more common and broader in everyday speech, but it does not always suggest disgust

  • insect

    more neutral and scientific; it excludes spiders and worms

  • vermin

    stronger and more negative, usually for creatures treated as pests

文法句型

creepy-crawlies + verb

full of creepy-crawlies

find / collect + creepy-crawlies

用法筆記

Usually plural and often used as a general label for insects, spiders, and similar tiny creatures people do not want near them. It highlights dislike or nervousness more than scientific type.

常見錯誤

❌I saw a creepy-crawlies under the sink.
✅I saw a creepy-crawly under the sink.' / 'I saw creepy-crawlies under the sink.
💡use the plural headword for more than one creature or for a general group.