QUIZZES

DON’T VACILLATE! VANQUISH THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!

It’d be a real faux pas to miss this quiz on the words from August 3–9, 2020!
Question 1 of 7
What does “vacillate” mean?
to waver in mind or opinion; be indecisive or irresolute.
to cause to be empty or unoccupied.
to assent tacitly; agree; consent.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of scare

First recorded in 1150–1200; (verb) Middle English skerren. from Old Norse skirra “to frighten”, derivative of skjarr “timid, shy”; (noun) late Middle English skere, derivative of the verb

synonym study for scare

1. See frighten.

OTHER WORDS FROM scare

scarer, nounscar·ing·ly, adverbun·scared, adjective

Words nearby scare

scarce as hen's teeth, scarcely, scarcely ever, scarcement, scarcity, scare, scarecrow, scaredy-cat, scarehead, scaremonger, scare out of one's wits
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to scare

alarm, shock, panic, paralyze, dismay, terrorize, intimidate, startle, daunt, awe, petrify, terrify, terror, start, fright, alert, freeze, spook, affright, chill

Example sentences from the Web for scare

British Dictionary definitions for scare

scare
/ (skɛə) /

verb

to fill or be filled with fear or alarm
(tr; often foll by away or off) to drive (away) by frightening
(tr) US and Canadian informal (foll by up)
  1. to produce (a meal) quickly from whatever is available
  2. to manage to find (something) quickly or with difficultybrewers need to scare up more sales

noun

a sudden attack of fear or alarm
a period of general fear or alarm

adjective

causing (needless) fear or alarma scare story

Derived forms of scare

scarer, noun

Word Origin for scare

C12: from Old Norse skirra; related to Norwegian skjerra, Swedish dialect skjarra
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with scare

scare
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.