“To make one´s hair stand on end”
 
What people think it means: having frizzy, flyaway hair due to static electricity.
 
What it really means: people often use this phrase to describe their terrifying experiences. It can be traced back to 1602 when Shakespeare used it in his play, Hamlet. The phrase describes the sensation of hairs standing upright when the skin contracts due to fear. Just like when you´re watching a scary movie, whether it´s a zombie, ghost or serial killer that causes you to squeal, once those hairs on the back of your neck start to stand on end, it´s time to hide behind that pillow!