Models chat backstage at the Fashion Fringe show of London Fashion Week for Spring/Summer 2013. Photo: Stuart Wilson/Getty Images
Today's Phrase
If something is 'hair-raising' it is very frightening or causes nervous excitement.
For example:
Some of the roads we drove along in Peru were very dangerous – it was a hair-raising experience!
Dave loved to talk about his hair-raising encounters as a war reporter.
Sarah had a hair-raising brush with death the second time she went parachuting.
Don't confuse it with
The phrase 'to let your hair down' means to relax, enjoy yourself and not worry about what anyone else thinks. For example:
It was Friday night. After a busy week it was time for Jane and her friends to let their hair down.
Interesting fact
London Fashion Week takes place every September and is one of Europe's biggest fashion events, alongside the Paris and Milan shows. In 2012, there were 62 catwalk shows, showcasing 100 fashion designers over a five day period. The UK fashion industry supports around 800,000 jobs and is the largest employer of all the creative industries.
