skip a beat
Momentary cardiac pause
When your heart skips a beat, it seems to pause momentarily from sudden emotion—fear, surprise, or attraction.
The phrase almost always appears with *heart*: My heart skipped a beat when I saw her.
It can describe any brief interruption in rhythm: The music never skipped a beat.
To continue without skipping a beat is to proceed smoothly despite disruption.
Irregular heartbeat awareness
- arrhythmiaAbnormal cardiac rhythm
- irregularDeviating from normal patterns
- murmurSoft, indistinct continuous sound
- flutterRapid light movement
fibrillation · ectopic · premature · heart monitor · electrocardiogram · stethoscope · pulse · heartbeat
Rapid light movement
- catchSeize or snag
- pauseTemporary cessation of activity
- joltAbrupt forceful shake
- hitchTemporary difficulty or snag
gasp · freeze · flinch · start · shock · surprise · alarm · stammer
Lose consciousness briefly
- smittenPowerfully attracted to someone
- infatuationShort-lived intense attraction
- crushCompress with force
- chemistryStudy of substances' interactions
magnetism · captivated · enchanted · lovestruck · heartthrob · butterflies · breathtaking · heart-stopping
Intense anticipatory fear
- terrorExtreme, overwhelming fear
- frightSudden intense fear
- panicUncontrollable sudden fear
- horrorExtreme fear or disgust
alarm · foreboding · chill · shudder · tremble · cold sweat · hair-raising · spine-tingling
palpitation
Irregular heartbeat awareness
- arrhythmiaAbnormal cardiac rhythm
- irregularDeviating from normal patterns
- murmurSoft, indistinct continuous sound
flutter · fibrillation · ectopic · premature · heart monitor · electrocardiogram · stethoscope · pulse · heartbeat · tachycardia
flutter
Rapid light movement
hitch · gasp · freeze · flinch · start · shock · surprise · alarm · stammer · stumble
swoon
Lose consciousness briefly
- smittenPowerfully attracted to someone
- infatuationShort-lived intense attraction
- crushCompress with force
chemistry · magnetism · captivated · enchanted · lovestruck · heartthrob · butterflies · breathtaking · heart-stopping · dazzled
dread
Intense anticipatory fear
horror · alarm · foreboding · chill · shudder · tremble · cold sweat · hair-raising · spine-tingling · petrified