fright

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   cause fear in

   The stranger who hangs around the building frightens me

2. 2
   noun

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

   With a bolt of fright he remembered that there was no bathroom in the Hobhouse Room. He leapt along the corridor in a panic, stopping by the long-case clock at the end where he flattened himself against the wall.

3. 3
   noun

   Someone strange, ugly or shocking, producing a feeling of alarm or aversion.

   Her maids were old, and if she took a new one, You might be sure she was a perfect fright; She did this during even her husband's life I recommend as much to every wife.

4. 4
   verb

   To frighten.

   Are not you he […] That frights the maidens of the villagery […] ?

5. 5
   adj

   frightened; afraid; affright

   Don't be fright, it is not so impossible as it seems.

6. 6
   noun

   an emotion experienced in anticipation of some specific pain or danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight)

Etymology

From Middle English fright, furht, from Old English fryhtu, fyrhto (“fright, fear, dread, trembling, horrible sight”), from Proto-Germanic *furhtį̄ (“fear”), from Proto-Indo-European *pr̥k- (“to fear”). Cognate with Scots fricht (“fright”), Old Frisian fruchte (“fright”), Low German frucht (“fright”), Middle Dutch vrucht, German Furcht (“fear, fright”), Danish frygt (“fear”), Swedish fruktan (“fear, fright, dread”), Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌷𐍄𐌴𐌹 (faurhtei, “fear, horror, fright”). Compare possibly Albanian frikë (“fear, fright, dread, danger”).