# yikes

Pronunciation: say "YYKS" /jaɪks/

## Interjection

1. Used to express sudden shock or alarm, often at something startling or unexpected. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: Said when something suddenly scares or surprises you.
   - _Yikes, the brakes barely held on that steep hill._
   - _Yikes, I had no idea the cliff dropped off so sharply right there._
2. Used to express empathy with someone facing unpleasant or undesirable circumstances. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: Said to show you feel bad about someone's unpleasant situation.
   - _Yikes, getting a flat tire on the way to the interview is awful._
   - _Three exams on the same morning? Yikes, good luck with that._

## Origin

Attested from the mid-20th century, "yikes" perhaps derives from "yoicks" (1765–1775), a hunting call used to urge hounds after a fox, itself perhaps related to the earlier "hoicks" and "hyke." Alternatively it may come from "yipes," an earlier exclamation of similar use, which may trace to the "yie" sound expressing pain or dismay, or to the yipping of dogs. The further etymology is unknown.

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