affright

American  

[uh-frahyt] / əˈfraɪt /

verb (used with object)

1. to frighten.

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noun

1. sudden fear or terror; fright.

2. a source of terror.

3. the act of terrifying.

affright British  

/ əˈfraɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to frighten

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noun

1. a sudden terror

Other Word Forms

• self-affrighted adjective
• unaffrighted adjective
• unaffrightedly adverb

Etymology

Origin of affright

before 1000; Middle English afrighten, Old English āfyrhtan, equivalent to ā- a- ³ + fyrhtan to fright

Example Sentences

Entire towns and neighborhoods need not be affrighted They may complain of lack of power, but they’ll safely be delighted.

From Washington Post

So the girls don’t say nothing, staring at each other all affrighted.

From Literature

They look up, and see a blur of color and affrighted movement as a flock of birds takes flight, disturbing the leaves.

From Literature

Somehow the “sham-palace” has come to fit right in on Park Avenue; horses do not bolt and women do not shrink affrighted.

From New York Times

But it was no use; those two frocks affrighted her courage with their deadness.

From Project Gutenberg