antsy

From ants +‎ -y, as in ants in one's pants. First noted as a rural Southern USA figure of speech in the early 20th century.

• IPA^(key): /ˈæn.tsi/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

antsy (comparative antsier, superlative antsiest)

1. (slang) Restless, apprehensive and fidgety.
   • 1990, John Updike, Rabbit at Rest:

     The children were antsy and worried […]

   • 1993 November, Lynn Hirschberg, “Brat on a Hot Tin Roof”, in Vanity Fair‎^[1]:

     For hating it so much, she's remarkably nomadic. In the last four years, she's moved at least eight times. "I get very antsy," she explains. "I don't like to be in one place for too long. But I settle in each time. I do like a house to be a home."

   • 2019 July 7, Tim Cato, “What you should know about Delon Wright, who may complete the Mavericks’ offseason”, in The New York Times‎^[2]:

     Just as the “Do Something” crowd was growing its antsiest, Dallas did something: The team will acquire Delon Wright through a sign-and-trade with the Memphis Grizzlies on a three-year deal worth $29 million, as first reported by ESPN.

   • 2024 October 26, John Brewin, “Matheus Cunha claws back late point for Wolves in comeback at Brighton”, in The Guardian‎^[3]:

     In a hard-fought, intriguing tactical battle of a first half, O’Neil, understandably given his employment prospects, was the antsier of the managers.

• ants in one's pants
• have ants in one's pants
• shpilkes

• toey

• -nasty, Ansty, Nasty, Santy, Tansy, Yants, nasty, tansy

antsy

1. knife

• antsibe (“cleaver; axe; hatchet; billhook”)
• antsiben' Andriamanitra (“rainbow”)
• antsifotsy (“sword”)
• antsipika (“pocket knife; penknife”)