affright
[ uh-frahyt ]
/ əˈfraɪt /
verb (used with object)
to frighten.
noun
sudden fear or terror; fright.
a source of terror.
the act of terrifying.
Nearby words
affreight, affreightment, affricate, affrication, affricative, affright, affront, affrontive, afft., affusion, afg
Origin of affright
Related formsself-af·fright·ed, adjectiveun·af·fright·ed, adjectiveun·af·fright·ed·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for affright
British Dictionary definitions for affright
affright
/ (əˈfraɪt) archaic, or poetic /
verb
(tr) to frighten
noun
a sudden terror
Word Origin for affright
Old English āfyrhtan, from a-, a prefix indicating the beginning or end of an action + fyrhtan to fright
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Word Origin and History for affright
affright
1580s, a late construction from a- (1) + fright (v.), probably on model of earlier past participle adjective affright "struck with sudden fear" (metathesized from Old English afyrht). Related: Affrighted; affrighting.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper