A spine-chiller is a story, film, or play made to frighten you — and the frightening is the point, because you are enjoying it. It is the ghost story told late at night, the horror film you watch with a cushion half over your face, the novel you cannot put down even though you now need the hall light on.

A spine-chiller spine-chiller is指的是 a story, film, or play故事、電影或戲劇 made to frighten you —目的就是要嚇你— and the frightening is the point,而且嚇人正是重點 because you are enjoying it因為你是樂在其中的。It is它就是 the ghost story told late at night,那個深夜講的鬼故事 the horror film you watch with a cushion half over your face,那部你看的時候要拿抱枕遮住半張臉的恐怖片 the novel you cannot put down那本你停不下來看的小說 even though you now need the hall light on卻又需要走廊留一盞燈才敢睡。

The word comes from a picture: real fear feels like something cold running down your back, along your spine. A spine-chiller is a thing that does that to you on purpose.

The word comes from a picture:這個詞來自一個畫面: real fear feels like真正的恐懼感覺就像 something cold有冰冷的東西 running down your back, along your spine順著你的背、沿著脊椎往下流。A spine-chiller spine-chiller is a thing就是...的東西 that does that to you on purpose故意讓你有這種感覺。

A few notes on how it is really used. It is a countable noun ('a spine-chiller', 'two spine-chillers').

on how it is really used,關於這個詞實際怎麼用 A few notes有幾點要說明。It is a countable noun它是可數名詞 ('a spine-chiller', 'two spine-chillers')（'a spine-chiller'、'two spine-chillers'）。

It has a light, slightly old-fashioned newspaper flavour — the sort of word a film listing or a book review uses, not a word most people say to a friend. In conversation people usually say 'a horror film', 'a scary movie', or 'a thriller'.

It has它帶 a light, slightly old-fashioned newspaper flavour —點輕鬆、有點老派的報章味— the sort of word a film listing or a book review uses,是那種電影場次表或書評會用的詞 not a word most people say to a friend不是大部分人會對朋友說出口的詞。In conversation在對話裡 people usually say大家通常會說 'a horror film', 'a scary movie', or 'a thriller''a horror film'、'a scary movie'，或 'a thriller'。

It also tends to describe the quieter kind of fear: ghosts, suspense, footsteps behind you, rather than blood everywhere. A gory slasher film would more likely be called a horror film than a spine-chiller.

It also tends to describe它也比較常用來形容 the quieter kind of fear:那種比較安靜的恐懼: ghosts, suspense, footsteps behind you,鬼魂、懸疑感、背後的腳步聲 rather than blood everywhere而不是滿地是血那種。A gory slasher film一部血腥的殺人狂電影 would more likely be called a horror film比較可能被叫做 horror film than a spine-chiller而不是 spine-chiller。

Watch the spelling and the part of speech. The hyphen is usual. And the entry you may have seen describes the adjective — 'a spine-chilling story is very frightening'. The chiller is the thing itself; chilling is what it does.

Watch the spelling and the part of speech要注意拼法和詞性。The hyphen is usual通常會加連字號。而 the entry you may have seen你可能看過的另一個詞條 describes the adjective —講的是形容詞— 'a spine-chilling story is very frightening''a spine-chilling story is very frightening'一個令人毛骨悚然的故事非常嚇人。The chiller chiller is the thing itself;指的是那個東西本身; chilling chilling is what it does則是它做的事。