chilling
The Jamaican word chilling means "causing mild fear".
Meaning: causing mild fear (adj)
Did you know?
- While chilling describes something scary, the phrase chill out in Jamaican Patois is used to mean relaxing or hanging out with friends.
- Because Jamaican Patois is an English-based creole, many words like chilling look identical to English but function with entirely different social weights. A person 'chilling' in Kingston is often in a social setting, not a fearful one.
- Because Patois is a continuum, the word chilling may be used differently depending on whether the speaker is using 'Broad Patois' or 'Jamaican Standard English'.
Example conversation
Kevon and Shanice are talking about a scary movie.
- KevonYou see how de movie end, Shanice?Did you see how the movie ended, Shanice?
- ShaniceYeah, it was really chilling.Yes, it was really chilling.
- KevonMi can't even sleep tonight.I can't even sleep tonight.
- ShaniceMe neither, Kevon.Me neither, Kevon.
