keyed up

adjective

informal

: in a state of nervous excitement

His hands were very sure. He was confident he could do the work, yet inside he was keyed up and jumpy.

—Esther Forbes, Johnny Tremain, 1943

A friend called me, too keyed up to sleep.

—Mike Nichols, Life and Other Ways, 1988

Word History

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined above

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