Tell me more ×
English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 4 down vote favorite

For example,

A: - Look! There is a centipede on the table!

B: - (interjection)!

share|improve this question

5 Answers

up vote 0 down vote accepted

A: I woke up to find a centipede in my hair. (creepy / frightening )

B: Yikes!

A: I had almost finished my salad when a centipede crawled out from under a lettuce leaf. (disgusting)

B: Ugh!

share|improve this answer
Granted, "Yikes" isn't as dated as, for example, *"My word!", or "Golly!". But it's not exactly "current" - I find it hard to imagine anyone using it non-facetiously. – FumbleFingers Mar 15 '12 at 13:59
up vote 5 down vote

As the other answers have mentioned, eek (with long E as in "bleak") expresses fright, while yuck expresses disgust; I think ugh may also be suitable, depending on context: it can express both disgust and contempt.

share|improve this answer
I see. Thank you, Jon!!! – brilliant Jan 15 '11 at 8:49
+1 for Ugh (that's what I'd say if I saw a centipede on the table)! – psmears Jan 15 '11 at 11:36
up vote 3 down vote

Ew works in place of yuck or ugh, especially if the speaker is a child.

share|improve this answer
up vote 2 down vote

Eek!

That's what immediately comes to my mind.

share|improve this answer
up vote 0 down vote

Yuck! There's is a centipede on the table. Yuck will also do as eek.

share|improve this answer

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.