fright
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Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
fright¹
- /fɹaɪt/ UK, US
- /fɹʌit/ Canada, Northern US
Rhymes with -aɪt
Where it comes from
From Middle English fright, furht, from Old English fryhtu, fyrhto (“fright, fear, dread, trembling, horrible sight”), from Proto-Germanic *furhtį̄ (“fear”), from Proto-Indo-European *pr̥k- (“to fear”).
Cognate with Scots fricht (“fright”), Old Frisian fruchte (“fright”), Low German frucht (“fright”), Middle Dutch vrucht, German Furcht (“fear, fright”), Danish frygt (“fear”), Swedish fruktan (“fear, fright, dread”), Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌷𐍄𐌴𐌹 (faurhtei, “fear, horror, fright”). Compare possibly Albanian frikë (“fear, fright, dread, danger”).
noun frights
- A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger; sudden and violent fear, usually of short duration; a sudden alarm. With a bolt of fright he remembered that there was no bathroom in the Hobhouse Room. He leapt along the corridor in a panic, stopping by the long-case clock at the end where he flattened himself against the wall.
- Someone strange, ugly or shocking, producing a feeling of alarm or aversion. Her maids were old, and if she took a new one, You might be sure she was a perfect fright; She did this during even her husband's life I recommend as much to every wife.
verb frights · frighting · frighted
- To frighten. Are not you he […] That frights the maidens of the villagery […] ?
fright²
- /fɹaɪt/ UK, US
- /fɹʌit/ Canada, Northern US
Rhymes with -aɪt
Where it comes from
Probably short for affright, from Middle English afright, from Old English āfyrht, past participle of āfyrhtan (“to make afraid; terrify”).
adjective more fright · most fright
- frightened; afraid; affright Don't be fright, it is not so impossible as it seems.
