Frighten - English meaning

verb

Make (someone) troubled or nervous.

Usage examples:

The thought of questioning toby agitated him extremely

verb

To argue energetically, esp. in public, in order to achieve a particular type of change

Usage examples:

Telephone companies began to agitate for permission to compete in long distance services., any ment…

noun

An anxious awareness of danger.

Usage examples:

The boat tilted and the boatmen cried out in alarm

verb

Make (someone) feel frightened, disturbed, or in danger.

noun

Sudden anxiety and fear, esp. that something very bad or dangerous might happen

Usage examples:

Nicholas detected a note of alarm in her voice., firefighters said the tragedy could have been avoi…

verb

Greatly dismay or horrify.

Usage examples:

Bankers are appalled at the economic incompetence of some ministers

verb

To make someone have strong feelings of shock or of disapproval

Usage examples:

I was appalled at/by the lack of staff in the hospital., the state of the kitchen appalled her.

noun

An unpleasant feeling of coldness in the atmosphere, one's surroundings, or the body.

Usage examples:

There was a chill in the air

verb

Make (someone) cold.

Usage examples:

They were chilled by a sudden wind

adjective

Chilly.

Usage examples:

The chill grey dawn

noun

A fully grown female animal of a domesticated breed of ox, kept to produce milk or beef.

Usage examples:

A dairy cow

verb

Cause (someone) to submit to one's wishes by intimidation.

Usage examples:

The intellectuals had been cowed into silence

noun

Female of domestic cattle

verb

Make (someone) feel intimidated or apprehensive.

Usage examples:

Some people are daunted by technology

verb

To make someone feel slightly frightened or worried about his or her ability to achieve something; to discourage

Usage examples:

She’s not at all daunted by criticism., reforming the welfare system is a daunting task.

verb

Disturb the composure of; unsettle.

Usage examples:

The abrupt change of subject disconcerted her

verb

To make someone feel suddenly uncertain or worried

Usage examples:

He was disconcerted by all the attention he was getting., so this deliberate lack of interest in no…

noun

Concern and distress caused by something unexpected.

Usage examples:

To his dismay, she left him

verb

Cause (someone) to feel concern and distress.

Usage examples:

They were dismayed by the u-turn in policy

noun

A feeling of shock and unhappiness

Usage examples:

She discovered, to her dismay, that she had locked her keys inside her car., they enjoyed the meal …

verb

Interfere with the normal arrangement or functioning of.

Usage examples:

Take the rollers out carefully so as not to disturb the curls too much

verb

To cause someone to stop what the person is doing, or to interrupt an activity

Usage examples:

Please don’t disturb jimmy – he’s trying to do his homework., this year’s election campaign has dis…

verb

To interrupt what someone is doing

Usage examples:

Please don't disturb your sister - she's trying to do her homework., i'm sorry to disturb you so la…

verb

Make (someone) agitated or confused.

Usage examples:

There's nothing you can do or say to fluster bernie

noun

An agitated or confused state.

Usage examples:

The main thing is not to get all in a fluster

verb

To make someone nervous or upset, esp. when the person is trying to do something

Usage examples:

Don’t let that new tax form fluster you – it’s not as bad as it looks., if i look flustered it’s be…

verb

Frighten or overawe (someone), especially in order to make them do what one wants.

Usage examples:

The forts are designed to intimidate the population

Compel or deter by or as if by threats

noun

Sudden uncontrollable fear or anxiety, often causing wildly unthinking behaviour.

Usage examples:

She hit him in panic

verb

Feel or cause to feel panic.

Usage examples:

The crowd panicked and stampeded for the exit

noun

A cereal and fodder grass of a group including millet.

Usage examples:

Two of the most common, but functionally indeterminate, grass grains regularly identified from amer…

verb

Change (organic matter) into a stony substance by encrusting or replacing it with a calcareous, siliceous, or other mineral deposit.

Usage examples:

The chemical components used to artificially petrify wood can be found in natural settings around v…

verb

Disorder or disarrange (someone's hair), typically by running one's hands through it.

Usage examples:

The father laughs and jovially ruffles his son's hair

noun

A strip of lace or other material, gathered along one edge to make an ornamental frill on a garment or other piece of fabric.

Usage examples:

The garment is often trimmed with lace, ruffles, bows and ribbons, optionally with spaghetti straps.

verb

To make someone upset or nervous or reduce someone’s confidence

Usage examples:

[ t ] it ruffled her composure, and she did not know how to respond., a sudden, strong breeze ruffl…

verb

Cause great fear or nervousness in; frighten.

Usage examples:

I was scared stiff

noun

A sudden attack of fright.

Usage examples:

Gosh, that gave me a scare!

verb

Cause fear in

verb

(of a structure or area of land) tremble or vibrate.

Usage examples:

Buildings shook in sacramento and tremors were felt in reno

noun

An act of shaking.

Usage examples:

She gave her red curls a shake

verb

Move or cause to move back and forth

noun

A sudden upsetting or surprising event or experience.

Usage examples:

It was a shock to face such hostile attitudes

verb

Short for shock absorber.

verb

Arrange (sheaves of grain) in a shock.

Usage examples:

The grain is shocked in the field after it is cut

verb

Cause to feel sudden shock or alarm.

Usage examples:

A sudden sound in the doorway startled her

verb

Surprise greatly

verb

To surprise a person or animal

Usage examples:

She startled him when she said hello., we’ve made some startling discoveries.

verb

Cause to feel extreme fear.

Usage examples:

The thought terrifies me

verb

To frighten someone severely

Usage examples:

His looks are enough to terrify anyone., she’s always been terrified of spiders., a terrifying expe…

verb

Create and maintain a state of extreme fear and distress in (someone); fill with terror.

Usage examples:

He used his private army to terrorize the population

verb

Coerce by violence or with threats

verb

To make someone feel very frightened by threatening to kill or hurt them

Usage examples:

Street gangs have been terrorizing the neighbourhood.

verb

Deprive of qualities traditionally associated with men, such as self-control or courage.

Usage examples:

Sitting in the dock awaiting a sentence will unman the stoutest heart

verb

Make (someone) lose courage or confidence.

Usage examples:

The journey over the bridge had unnerved me

verb

To make someone feel less confident and slightly frightened

Usage examples:

The long silence unnerved him., it’s the way that he stares that i find so unnerving.

verb

To make someone feel nervous or less confident

Usage examples:

Talk of an economic slowdown has so far failed to unnerve american markets., be unnerved by sth inv…