scare
//skɛə//
informalForms
- Plural
- scares
- Comparative
- more scare
- Superlative
- most scare
- present (v1)
- scare
- past (v2)
- scared
- past participle (v3)
- scared
- present participle
- scaring
- 3rd person singular
- scares
Definitions
1.A minor fright.
- Johnny had a bad scare last night.
- England were held to a draw after surviving a major scare against Switzerland as they were forced to come from two goals behind to earn a point in the Euro 2012 qualifier at Wembley.
2.A cause of terror or alarm; a panic; something that inspires fear or dread.
- Tom is trying to scare us.
3.A device or object used to frighten.
- But I admit the possibility of their being used as "scares" for either birds of prey or snakes, or both.
1.To frighten, terrify, startle, especially in a minor way.
- Did it scare you when I said "Boo!"?
- Late triumphs of Russian science are scaring the very dogwater out of large elements in our society, and we both fear more "purging" instead of more effort at catching up.
2.(To be able) to be scared.
1.lean; scanty
Frequency
Overall
Uncommon· #3127
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Uncommon
- General reading & writing
- Rare
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Word family
Etymology
From Middle English sker, skere (“terror, fright”)
From the verb Middle English skerren (“to frighten”) (see below).