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Definition of 'fright'

Word Frequency

fright

(fraɪt )
Word forms: plural frights
1. uncountable noun
Fright is a sudden feeling of fear, especially the fear that you feel when something unpleasant surprises you.
The steam pipes rattled suddenly, and Franklin uttered a shriek and jumped with fright.
The birds smashed into the top of their cages in fright.
To hide my fright I asked a question.
Synonyms: fear, shock, alarm, horror   More Synonyms of fright
2. countable noun [usually singular]
A fright is an experience which makes you suddenly afraid.
The snake picked up its head and stuck out its tongue which gave everyone a fright.
The last time you had a real fright, you nearly crashed the car.
Synonyms: scare, start, turn [informal], surprise   More Synonyms of fright
3. 
take fright
4.  the fright of your life
More Synonyms of fright
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

Video: pronunciation of 'fright'

Word Frequency

fright in British

(fraɪt )
noun
1. 
sudden intense fear or alarm
2. 
a sudden alarming shock
3. informal
a horrifying, grotesque, or ludicrous person or thing
she looks a fright in that hat
4.  take fright
verb
5.  a poetic word for frighten
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin of 'fright'
Old English fryhto; related to Gothic faurhtei, Old Frisian fruchte, Old High German forhta
Word Frequency

fright in American

(fraɪt ; frīt)
noun
1. 
sudden fear or terror; alarm
2. 
an ugly, ridiculous, startling, or unusual person or thing
verb transitive
3.  Rare
to frighten; terrify
SIMILAR WORDS:  fear
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin of 'fright'
ME < OE fyrhto, fryhto, fear, akin to Ger furcht, fear, Goth faúrhts < IE base *perg-, fear, to be afraid

Trends of 'fright'

In Common Usage. fright is one of the 10000 most commonly used words in the Collins dictionary

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Translations for 'fright'

British English: fright /fraɪt/ NOUN
Fright is a sudden feeling of fear.
He jumped with fright.
  • American English: fright
  • Arabic: رُعْب
  • Brazilian Portuguese: susto
  • Chinese: 惊骇
  • Croatian: užas
  • Czech: zděšení
  • Danish: frygt
  • Dutch: schrik
  • European Spanish: susto impresión
  • Finnish: säikähdys
  • French: peur
  • German: Schreck
  • Greek: τρομάρα
  • Italian: spavento
  • Japanese: 恐怖
  • Korean: 갑작스러운 놀람
  • Norwegian: frykt
  • Polish: strach
  • European Portuguese: susto
  • Romanian: spaimă
  • Russian: испуг
  • Spanish: susto
  • Swedish: förskräckelse
  • Thai: ความตกใจ
  • Turkish: korku
  • Ukrainian: переляк
  • Vietnamese: sự sợ hãi

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Nearby words of 'fright'

  • frigged
  • frigger
  • frigging
  • fright
  • fright wig
  • frighten
  • frighten away

  • All ENGLISH words that begin with 'F'

Related Terms of 'fright'

  • fright wig
  • take fright
  • stage fright
  • stage-fright
  • the fright of your life

  • View more related words

Source

Definition of fright from the Collins English Dictionary

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Scrabble score for 'fright': 13
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