fright en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
Etymology
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”).
Meanings
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(countable, uncountable) 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.
1994, Stephen Fry, chapter 2, in The Hippopotamus:
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(countable, uncountable) 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.
1819 July 15, [Lord Byron], Don Juan, London: […] Thomas Davison, […], →OCLC, canto I, (please specify the stanza number):
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| frights | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
horsefright · frightfest · age fright (Compound words and expressions) · frightmare · stage fright (Compound words and expressions) · waterfright (Compound words and expressions) · plane fright (Compound words and expressions) · affrighten · job fright (Compound words and expressions) · nightfright (Compound words and expressions) · frightless · mike fright (Compound words and expressions) · speech fright (Compound words and expressions) · frightment · page fright (Compound words and expressions) · camera fright (Compound words and expressions) · look a fright (Compound words and expressions) · fright disease (Compound words and expressions) · frightly · speechfright · frightful · fright wig (Compound words and expressions) · mic fright (Compound words and expressions) · stage-fright (Compound words and expressions) · frighty · take fright (Compound words and expressions) · frightable · frightsome · snake-fright (Compound words and expressions)
Relateds
Translations (64)
kk зәре (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · hy երկյուղ (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · ms ketakutan (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · tr korku (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · ko 놀람 (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · uk переля́к (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · hy վախ (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · he בֶּהָלָה (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · fr épouvante (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · gd clisgeadh (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · gsw Chlupf (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · ota قورقو (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · es susto (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · ar رُعْب (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · de Schreck (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · eo timego (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · rif tiggʷdi (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · kmr xof (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · grc τάρβος (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · mk уплав (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · ro spaimă (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · ru страши́лище (someone strange, ugly or shocking) · ar ذُعْر (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · ko 겁 (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · got 𐌿𐍃𐍆𐌹𐌻𐌼𐌴𐌹 (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · kmr tirs (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · fr effroi (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · ru страх (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · sv fruktan (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · pt espanto (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · bg страшилище (someone strange, ugly or shocking) · fi pelko (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · mk страшилиште (someone strange, ugly or shocking) · uk страх (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · be ляк (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · de Schrecken (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · fi kauhu (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · be страх (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · bg уплаха (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · ja 怖じけ (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · sco fricht (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · ota وحشت (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · cy abwth (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · ru пу́гало (someone strange, ugly or shocking) · be спало́х (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · sv fasa (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · cim dabòrte (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · el τρομάρα (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · ca esverament (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · ka საფრთხობელა (someone strange, ugly or shocking) · mk страв (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · pt susto (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · ga scéin (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · de Angst (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · pl przestrach (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · ca ensurt (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · ka შიში (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · ru испу́г (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · ga scanradh (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · be пераля́к (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · sv skräck (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · ca espant (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · ar خَوْف (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger) · uk ляк (A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger)