affright

[ uh-frahyt ]
See synonyms for affright on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object)
  1. to frighten.

noun
  1. sudden fear or terror; fright.

  2. a source of terror.

  1. the act of terrifying.

Origin of affright

1
before 1000; Middle English afrighten,Old English āfyrhtan, equivalent to ā-a-3 + fyrhtan to fright

Other words from affright

  • self-af·fright·ed, adjective
  • un·af·fright·ed, adjective
  • un·af·fright·ed·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use affright in a sentence

  • Every word that now fell from the agitated Empress was balm to the affrighted nerves of her daughter.

  • He returned shortly, to meet his mother standing in the doorway, with pale, affrighted face.

    Ramona | Helen Hunt Jackson
  • My spirit trembled; I, Daniel, was affrighted at these things, and the visions of my head troubled me.

  • On the approach of the steamer, several started up, affrighted by the noise, and glided hastily into the dirty yellow stream.

  • And they that were in the city being affrighted, opened the gates to him: so Jonathan took Joppe.

British Dictionary definitions for affright

affright

/ (əˈfraɪt) archaic, or poetic /


verb
  1. (tr) to frighten

noun
  1. a sudden terror

Origin of affright

1
Old English āfyrhtan, from a-, a prefix indicating the beginning or end of an action + fyrhtan to fright

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012