1. (n.) A plant of the genus Panicum; panic grass; also, the edible grain of some species of panic grass.

2. (a.) Extreme or sudden and causeless; unreasonable; -- said of fear or fright; as, panic fear, terror, alarm.

3. (n.) A sudden, overpowering fright; esp., a sudden and groundless fright; terror inspired by a trifling cause or a misapprehension of danger; as, the troops were seized with a panic; they fled in a panic.

4. (a.) By extension: A sudden widespread fright or apprehension concerning financial affairs.

abject fear affright agitation alarm anxiety apprehension apprehensiveness attack of nerves awe bear panic belly laugh blue funk blue story boggle buck fever case of nerves cold feet confound consternation cowardice dirty joke dirty story discomfit dismay double entendre dread ethnic joke excessive irritability fear fidgetiness fidgets fight shy frenzy fright frighten fun funk funny story gag go to pieces good one good story horrification horror howl howler hysteria jape jest jestbook jib joke jump jump a mile laugh morbid excitability nerves nervosity nervous stomach nervousness panic fear panickiness phobia play point put in fear put to flight put to rout rib tickler riot rout scare scatter scream send scuttling shy sick joke sidesplitter sight gag skedaddle spell of nerves sport stage fright stampede start start aside startle state of nerves story terrify terror tic trepidation twitching uneasiness unholy dread unnerve vellication visual joke wheeze wow yarn