also: おじけ
noun
fear; dread; fright; the willies
A noun expressing a feeling of fear or dread, often with a nuance of creepiness or visceral unease. Commonly used in the phrase 怖気をふるう (to be struck with fear). The reading おぞけ is more common than おじけ.
その話を聞いて、背筋に怖気が走った。
Hearing that story sent a shiver of fear down my spine.
暗闇の中で何かが動いて、怖気をふるった
Something moved in the darkness, and I was struck with dread.
Alternate kanji form explicitly indicating the reading おじけ.
Mixed kana-kanji spelling for おじけ, sometimes seen in informal writing.
Variant using 恐 instead of 怖; less common and may be considered nonstandard.
Compound of 怖 (お, fear) + 気 (け, feeling, sign). The reading おぞけ is likely a euphonic change from おそけ (恐け), while おじけ derives from 怖じ (おじ, fearing) + 気. Both convey a sense of fear or dread.