Schwellenangst

Schwellenangst

English

Etymology

Borrowed from German Schwellenangst, from Schwelle (“threshold”) + Angst (“anxiety”).

Noun

Schwellenangst (uncountable)

1. A fear of, or aversion to, crossing a threshold or entering a place, especially of a potential customer.
   • 1970, Scandinavian Public Library Quarterly, vol. 3-4, p. 122:

     The inquiry also proves that a considerable number of people suffer from what is called "Schwellenangst", i. e., marked disinclination to visit a book shop unless they are quite sure of what title they want to buy.

   • 2005, Christina Ujma, ‘Gabriele Tergit and Berlin’, Practicing Modernity, p. 263:

     She describes in her autobiography how she was overcome by an attack of ‘Schwellenangst’ when she wanted to cover her first trial, making it impossible for her to enter the courtroom.