frighten
Translation
to frighten, to scare
Examples
The loud noise frightened the baby.
The loud noise frightened the baby.
Don't frighten the birds away.
Don't frighten the birds away.
Grammar Patterns
((sb./sth.)) to make (sb./sth.) feel fear The loud noise frightened the baby.
((sb./sth.)) away to make (sb./sth.) go away by frightening them Don't frighten the birds away.
Similar Words
Synonyms: scare, startle, terrify; Antonyms: reassure, comfort
Etymology
From Old English 'fyrhtan' (to cause fear), related to the noun 'fright'.
Memory Tips
Think of it as 'to put fright in' someone. The '-en' suffix often means 'to make' or 'to cause to be'.