First Known Use: 13th century
Dictionary
1scare
verb \ˈsker\
: to cause (someone) to become afraid
: to become afraid
scaredscar·ing
Full Definition of SCARE
transitive verb
: to frighten especially suddenly : alarm
intransitive verb
: to become scared
— scar·er noun
See scare defined for English-language learners
See scare defined for kids
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Origin of SCARE
Middle English skerren, from Old Norse skirra, from skjarr shy, timid
Related to SCARE
Rhymes with SCARE
air, Ayr, bare, bear, Blair, blare, care, chair, chare, dare, Dare, e'er, ere, err, eyre, fair, fare, flair, flare, glair, glare, hair, hare, Herr, heir, lair, mare, ne'er, pair, pare, pear, prayer, rare, rear, share, snare, spare, square, stair, stare, swear, tare, tear, their, there, vair, ware, wear, weir, where, yare
2scare
noun
: a sudden feeling of fear
: a situation in which a lot of people become afraid because of some threat, danger, etc.
Full Definition of SCARE
1
: a sudden fright
See scare defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of SCARE
circa 1548
SCARE Defined for Kids
1scare
verb \ˈsker\
scaredscar·ing
Definition of SCARE for Kids
: to become or cause to become frightened <Your stories scare the children.>
— scare up
: to find or get with some difficulty <She scared up something for us to eat.>
2scare
noun
Definition of SCARE for Kids
1
: a sudden feeling of fear : fright
2
: a widespread state of alarm <There was a scare that the disease would spread.>
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