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fright - 5 dictionary results

fright

  [frahyt]
Use fright in a Sentence
–noun
1. sudden and extreme fear; a sudden terror.
2. a person or thing of shocking, grotesque, or ridiculous appearance.
–verb (used with object)
3. to frighten.
Origin:
bef 900; ME; OE frytu, fyrhto; akin to G Furcht

Synonyms:
1. dismay, consternation, alarm. See terror.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To fright
fright   (frīt)   
n.  
  1. Sudden intense fear, as of something immediately threatening; alarm. See Synonyms at fear.
  2. Informal Something extremely unsightly, alarming, or strange: Brush your hair; you look a fright.
tr.v.   fright·ed, fright·ing, frights Archaic
To frighten.

[Middle English, from Old English fyrhto, fryhto. V., from Middle English frighten, to frighten, be afraid, from Old English fyrhtan.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Fright

Fright\, n. [OE. frigt, freyht, AS. fyrhto, fyrhtu; akin to OS. forhta, OHG. forhta, forahta, G. furcht, Dan. frygt, Sw. fruktan, Goth. fa['u]rhtei fear, fa['u]rhts timid.]

1. A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger; sudden and violent fear, usually of short duration; a sudden alarm.

2. Anything strange, ugly or shocking, producing a feeling of alarm or aversion. [Colloq.]

Syn: Alarm; terror; consternation. See Alarm.

Fright

Fright\, v. t. [imp. Frighted; p. pr. & vb. n.. Frighting.] [OE. frigten to fear, frighten, AS. fyrhtan to frighten, forhtian to fear; akin to OS. forhtian, OHG. furihten, forahtan, G. f["u]rchten, Sw. frukta, Dan. frygte, Goth. faurhtjan. See Fright, n., and cf. Frighten.] To alarm suddenly; to shock by causing sudden fear; to terrify; to scare.

Nor exile or danger can fright a brave spirit. --Dryden.

Syn: To affright; dismay; daunt; intimidate.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : fright
Spanish: susto,
German: der Schrecken,
Japanese: 恐怖
More Translations »

fright  (n.)
O.E. (Northumbrian) fryhto, metathesis of fyrhtu "fear, dread," from P.Gmc. *furkhtaz "afraid" (cf. O.S. forhta, O.Fris. fruchte, O.H.G. forhta, Ger. Furcht, Goth. faurhtei "fear"). Not etymologically related to the word fear, which superseded it 13c. as the principal word except in cases of sudden terror. For spelling evolution, see fight. Frightful (c.1250) originally meant "timid," and like most -ful adjectives originally had an active and passive sense; the meaning "horrible, shocking" is from 1700; Johnson noted it as "a cant word among women for anything unpleasing."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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