panic

I UK [ˈpænɪk] / US noun
Word forms "panic":
singular panic plural panics
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1) [singular/uncountable] a sudden strong feeling of fear or worry that makes you unable to think clearly or calmly

sheer/blind panic:

She felt a moment of sheer panic.

panic spreads:

Panic spread quickly through the capital city.

in panic:

People are fleeing the area in panic.

get in/into a panic:

She gets in a panic whenever she has to do the test.

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Collocations:
Adjectives frequently used with panic
▪  blind, pure, real, sheer, total Verbs frequently used with panic as the subject ▪  break out, set in, spread, surge, sweep, well up

2)

a) [countable/uncountable] a situation in which a lot of people are hurrying to do or get something because they are frightened or worried

News of the incident caused a panic in the town.

b) [only before noun] used about things that people do when they are frightened or worried

panic buying/selling:

The news prompted a rash of panic buying.

II UK [ˈpænɪk] / US verb
Word forms "panic":
present tense I/you/we/they panic he/she/it panics present participle panicking past tense panicked past participle panicked
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a) [intransitive] to have a sudden strong feeling of fear or worry and be unable to think clearly or calmly or decide what to do

We were told not to panic.

b) [transitive] to make someone feel great fear or worry so that they cannot think clearly or decide what to do

be panicked by something:

We're not panicked by yesterday's result.

panic someone into (doing) something:

Shoppers are panicked into buying things they don't need.

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- don't panic