put the wind up somebody

put the wind up (someone)

To make someone very anxious, upset, or frightened. If they keep putting pressure on you, we'll threaten them with legal action; that should put the wind up them!See also: put, up, wind

put the ˈwind up somebody

(British English, informal) make somebody frightened about something: He really put the wind up her with his stories of rats in the kitchen.See also: put, somebody, up, wind