# phew

Pronunciation: US say "FYOO" /fjuː/; UK

## Interjection

1. An exclamation of relief after tension, or of tiredness or surprise.
   - Simple: A sound you make when you feel relief, or when you are tired or surprised.
   - _Phew, we made it to the gate just before they closed the doors._
   - _Phew, I thought I'd lost my wallet, but it was in my coat the whole time._
2. Used to express disgust.
   - Simple: A sound you make to show that you think something is nasty or gross.
   - _Phew, the locker room reeked after the game._
   - _Phew, that cheese is far too ripe for me to eat._

## Origin

Recorded since the early 17th century, this is an onomatopoeia imitating a quick breath out: the sound you make when a hard situation is over or to blow away a bad smell. Similar forms appear in Scots (feuch), Spanish (fu), and Czech (fuj), among many others.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/phew (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).