fright

/ˈfrīt/

Middle English, going back to Old English fyrhtu, fyrtho, fryhto (Northumbrian) "fear, dread, source of dread," going back to Germanic *furhtīn- (whence also Gothic faurhtei), noun derivative of *furhta- "frightened, fearful" (whence Old English forht "frightened," Old Saxon foraht, foroht, Old High German forht, foraht, Gothic faurhts), probably going back to Indo-European *pr̥k-to-, adjective from a verbal base *pr̥k-, whence also Tocharian A & B pärsk- "be afraid" (going back to *pr̥k-sk-)

noun

  1. fear excited by sudden danger : alarm

  2. something strange, ugly, or shocking

gave me quite a fright

fear dread fright alarm panic terror trepidation mean painful agitation in the presence or anticipation of danger. fear is the most general term and implies anxiety and usually loss of courage. dread usually adds the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests aversion as well as anxiety.

verb

  1. to alarm suddenly : frighten

noun

  1. a wig with hair that stands out from the head