put the fear of God into

Idioms  

1. Terrify someone, as in The school counselor put the fear of God into the girls when she talked about AIDS. This phrase alludes to a time when most people had a mingled feeling of dread and reverence toward the deity. [Late 1800s]

---

Example Sentences

Unlike their predecessor the New England Primer, which was designed to put the fear of God into children, the Readers were designed to be appealing to children, and incorporated helpful, clear illustrations.

From Slate • Aug. 17, 2020

"We must stress these are old events that we've looked at; we don't want to put the fear of God into people," said BGS Prof Dave Tappin.

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2020

“He knew all the arguments. He had the clout. He was the big gun. He put the fear of God into people.”

From Washington Post • Oct. 14, 2017

That is enough to put the fear of God into St. Peter's.

From Time • Feb. 14, 2013

I read about the slave preacher Nat Turner, who put the fear of God into the white slavemaster.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey