scare

/ˈsker/

Middle English skerren, from Old Norse skirra, from skjarr shy, timid

verb

  1. to frighten especially suddenly : alarm

  2. to become scared

noun

  1. a sudden fright

  2. a widespread state of alarm : panic

plural noun

  1. quotation marks used to express especially skepticism or derision concerning the use of the enclosed word or phrase