Meaning & Definition of word "Scare"

Scare

/skɛr/

noun:

  • 1. a feeling of fear, or a sudden alarm.
    • Example: The scare she got from the horror movie stayed with her for hours.
  • 2. an event or experience that causes fright or alarm.
    • Example: The earthquake was quite a scare for the residents of the city.
  • 3. a situation that creates a sense of urgency or concern.
    • Example: The recent security scare prompted increased safety measures at the venue.

verb:

  • 1. to cause (someone) to feel sudden fear.
    • Example: The loud noise in the middle of the night scared me.
  • 2. to frighten or alarm someone intentionally.
    • Example: He tried to scare his friends by pretending to be a ghost.
  • 3. to cause someone to become frightened or anxious.
    • Example: The thought of an upcoming exam began to scare her.

Etymology

Middle English scaren, of uncertain origin.

Common Phrases and Expressions

scare off:

to drive away or deter someone or something by instilling fear.

scare tactics:

a strategy used to frighten someone into action or compliance.

scare the hell out of:

to frighten someone very badly.

Related Words

fear:

an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous.

terror:

extreme fear.

fright:

a sudden intense fear.

Slang Meanings of scare

Meaning: to scare the bejesus out of someone

Example Sentence: The jump scare in that movie scared the bejesus out of me.

Meaning: to scare the crap out of someone

Example Sentence: The surprise party really scared the crap out of her.