/'fraɪtn; `fraɪtn/
v
1 [Tn] fill (sb) with fear; make afraid; scare （使某人）感到恐惧; 使害怕; 惊吓
*Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. 对不起, 我不是故意吓唬你的.
* Loud traffic frightens horses. 车辆噪音使马受惊.
2 (idm 习语) frighten/scare sb to `death/out of his `wits; frighten the `life out of sb frighten sb very much; terrify or startle sb 惊吓某人; 使某人恐怖或惊愕
*The child was frightened to death by the violent thunderstorm. 那孩子让狂风暴雨吓得要命.
* You frightened the life out of me/frightened me out of my wits suddenly knocking on the window like that! 你突然那样敲窗户真把我的魂儿都吓掉了. frighten/scare the daylights out of sb => daylights.
3 (phr v) frighten sb/sth away/off force or drive (a person or an animal) to run away by frightening him/it 将（人或动物）吓跑
*The alarm frightened the burglars away. 警铃声把贼吓跑了.
* The children's shouts frightened off the birds. 孩子们的喊声把鸟儿吓飞了. frighten sb into/out of doing sth cause sb to do/not to do sth by frightening him 吓得某人做[不敢做]某事
*News of the robberies frightened many people into fitting new locks to their doors. 发生抢劫的消息把许多人吓得装上新门锁.

v [T]
to make someone feel afraid
= scare
　Don't stand so near the edge! You're frightening me.
　She was frightened by the anger in his eyes.
　Computers used to frighten me, but not now.
frighten sb to death/frighten the life out of sb
(=make someone feel extremely afraid)
　He drove at a speed which frightened Lara to death.
frighten away [frighten sb⇔away] phr v
to make a person or animal go away by making them feel afraid
　Terrorist activity in the area has frightened most tourists away.
frighten into [frighten sb into sth] phr v
to force someone to do something by making them afraid
frighten sb into doing sth
　He frightened me into staying silent.
frighten off [frighten sb/sth⇔off] phr v
to make a person or animal so nervous or afraid that they go away or do not do something they were going to do
　The investors were frightened off by the company's low profits that year.