Related Clues:

• Prepared for trouble
• Prepared for a blow
• Showed anxiety
• Was uptight
• Became rigid
• Evinced obviously
• Tightened (up)
• Tightened
• Utter a loud, high-pitched cry
• Uttered a loud, high-pitched cry
• Uttered a sudden high-pitched cry
• Being so uptight, was in verbal fashion, perhaps
• Uptight in verbal form first
• Prepared to spring
• Grew rigid (with "up")