scare

Meanings

Noun

• A minor fright.
• A cause of slight terror; something that inspires fear or dread.
• A device or object used to frighten.

Verb

• To frighten, terrify, startle, especially in a minor way.

Adjective

• lean; scanty

Related

Similar words

• fright
• frighten
• terrify

Origin

• From Middle English sker, skere, from the verb Middle English skerren (see below).
• From Middle English scaren, skaren, scarren, skeren, skerren, from Old Norse skirra, from Proto-Germanic *skirzijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker-. Related to Old Norse skjarr. Cognate with Scots skar, dialectal Norwegian Nynorsk skjerra, dialectal Swedish skjarra and possibly Old Armenian ցիռ ("wild ass").