cabin fever


noun

a state characterized by anxiety, restlessness, and boredom, arising from a prolonged stay in a remote or confined place.

Origin of cabin fever

An Americanism dating back to 1915–20

British Dictionary definitions for cabin fever

cabin fever

noun

mainly Canadian acute depression resulting from being isolated or sharing cramped quarters in the wilderness, esp during the long northern winter

Idioms and Phrases with cabin fever

cabin fever

Distress or anxiety caused by prolonged confinement in a small or remote place, as in We've been snowed in for a week and everyone has cabin fever. Originating in the West, this term at first alluded to being penned up in a remote cabin during a long winter but has since been applied more broadly. [Late 1800s]