frighten

[frahyt-n] /ˈfraɪt n/
verb (used with object)
1.
to make afraid or fearful; throw into a fright; terrify; scare.
2.
to drive (usually followed by away, off, etc.) by scaring:
to frighten away pigeons from the roof.
verb (used without object)
3.
to become frightened:
a timid child who frightens easily.
Origin
1660-70; fright + -en1
Related forms
frightenable, adjective
frightener, noun
frighteningly, adverb
nonfrightening, adjective
nonfrighteningly, adverb
overfrighten, verb
unfrightening, adjective
Synonyms
1. shock, startle, dismay, intimidate. Frighten, alarm, scare, terrify, terrorize, appall all mean to arouse fear in people or animals. To frighten is to shock with sudden, startling, but usually short-lived fear, especially that arising from the apprehension of physical harm: to frighten someone by a sudden noise. To alarm is to arouse the feelings through the realization of some imminent or unexpected danger: to alarm someone by a scream. To scare is to frighten, often without the presence of real danger: Horror movies really scare me. To terrify is to strike with violent, overwhelming, or paralyzing fear: to terrify a city by lawless acts. To terrorize is to terrify in a general, continued, systematic manner, either wantonly or in order to gain control: His marauding armies terrorized the countryside. To appall is to overcome or confound by dread, dismay, shock, or horror: The suffering caused by the earthquake appalled him.
Examples from the web for frighten
  • But without speculators changes in demand or supply would shock and frighten everyone.
  • Some of these animals scare away or prey upon wildlife, such as birds, or frighten small children.
  • Some of these animals scare away or prey upon wildlife-such as birds-or frighten small children.
  • Or perhaps they'll try to frighten you with spiders.
  • Yet aftershocks frighten residents and complicate rescue efforts.
  • People wear red-the color of fire, and light fireworks to frighten away evil spirits.
  • Searing heat, towering dunes, gargantuan rocks and weather that would frighten a crab-boat captain are the norm.
  • Such admonitions can frighten voters, an especially pertinent concern seven months before an election.
  • The incidents of drinking, road rage, and so many more things that might set someone off frighten me more than criminals do.
  • Alternatively, you can bang on a drum to frighten the dragon into regurgitating the moon.
British Dictionary definitions for frighten

frighten

/ˈfraɪtən/
verb (transitive)
1.
to cause fear in; terrify; scare
2.
to drive or force to go (away, off, out, in, etc) by making afraid
Derived Forms
frightened, adjective
frightening, adjective
frighteningly, adverb
Word Origin and History for frighten
v.

1660s, from fright + -en (1). Related: Frightened; frightening. The earlier verb was simply fright (Old English fyrhtan) "to frighten."

Idioms and Phrases with frighten

frighten

see: scare out of one's wits