/ skeə(r); NAmE sker/ verb , noun
■ verb
1.
to frighten sb :
[ vn ]
You scared me.
[ vn to inf ]
It scared me to think I was alone in the building.
➡ note at frighten
2.
[ v ] to become frightened :
He doesn't scare easily.
—see also scary
•
IDIOMS
- scare the shit out of sb | scare sb shitless
—more at daylights , death , life
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- scare sb away / off
- scare sb into doing sth
- scare sb off
- scare up sth
■ noun
1.
[ C ] (used especially in newspapers) a situation in which a lot of people are anxious or frightened about sth :
a bomb / health scare
recent scares about pesticides in food
a scare story (= a news report that spreads more anxiety or fear about sth than is necessary)
to cause a major scare
scare tactics (= ways of persuading people to do sth by frightening them)
2.
[ sing. ] a sudden feeling of fear :
You gave me a scare !
We've had quite a scare.
—see also scary
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old Norse skirra frighten, from skjarr timid.