frighten
verbcommon in dialogue
- //ˈfɹaɪ.tən//
- /[ˈfɹ̥aɪtn̩]/
- /[ˈfɹ̥aɪʔn̩]/
To cause to feel fear; to scare; to cause to feel alarm or fright.
verb
- 1
To cause to feel fear; to scare; to cause to feel alarm or fright.
Avery puts a sheet over her head, pretending to be a ghost to frighten Emily.
His Deſign was only to frighten France, and get more Money.
You may frighten a pig, a goose, a frog, and even a fly, but you cannot frighten or surprise a sloth.
And he commanded his soldiers […] to frighten them with fierce swords, but the hearts of the holy men did not quail, and they were unable to alter their words.
- 2
To become scared or alarmed.
In fitting the White Leghorns for exhibition, it must be remembered that they are of nervous disposition and frighten easily.
Those male moose at the southeast arm didn't frighten very much when we docked to fly-fish one day. One was so scared of us he just walked toward us and snorted.
Be sneaky. Fish frighten easily.
Etymology
From Middle English *frightenen, equivalent to fright + -en.
Forms
- past tense
- frightened
- past participle
- frightened
- present participle
- frightening
- third person singular
- frightens
frighten · To cause to feel fear; to scare; to cause to feel alarm or fright.
frightened · Afraid; suffering from fear.frightening · Causing fear; or capable of causing fear; scary.frightful · Full of something causing fright, whether Genuinely horrific,…