The physical sensation of small bumps on the skin caused by cold, fear, excitement, or strong emotional response; a full-body reaction to intense stimulus.
This phrase dates to the 18th century, originally called 'goose flesh' because the bumps resemble the skin of a plucked goose. The phenomenon occurs when tiny muscles at hair follicles contract, and the expression captures both the visual similarity and the involuntary nature of this response.
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