scare
scare Lexical Profile
scare Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To cause someone or an animal to feel sudden fear, alarm, or nervousness.
"Loud fireworks often scare household pets and local wildlife."
To drive or keep someone or an animal away by frightening them (usually followed by an adverb or preposition such as 'off' or 'away').
"The farmer placed reflective tape in the orchard to scare the birds away from the ripe cherries."
To become frightened or alarmed (used intransitively).
"She is an experienced mountaineer who does not scare easily in rough weather."
• noun
A sudden attack of fear or alarm caused by an unexpected event or perceived danger.
"The sudden power outage during the thunderstorm gave the children quite a scare."
A period of widespread public anxiety, panic, or rumor regarding a particular threat or issue.
"A recent food contamination scare prompted supermarkets to recall several brands of spinach."
• Rhymes for scare
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in Middle English from Old Norse skirra ('to frighten, shrink from'), derived from skirr ('shy, timid').