To scare someone or make them feel sudden fear or surprise.
From Old English 'fyrhtan,' meaning to fear or make afraid. The word comes from Germanic roots related to fear and flight. It's related to 'fright' (the noun) and has been used since Anglo-Saxon times. The suffix '-en' makes verbs from adjectives or nouns.
Frighten comes from the same root as 'fright,' and interestingly, the fight-or-flight response in your body is literally your ancient instinct to either stand and fight when frightened or run away—the word captures both human reactions!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.