Olenek
Junior Member
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2011
- Member Type
- Interested in Language
- Native Language
- Russian
- Home Country
- Russian Federation
- Current Location
- Russian Federation
Hi,
I've found some idioms with the sense "to frighten":
1) "To make someone’s hair stand on end"/ "To make someone’s hair stand up on the back of someone’s neck" – to cause someone to be very frightened.
When you make someone scared or panic or to shock them.
2) "To curl someone’s hair"/ "To make someone’s hair curl" – to frighten or alarm someone; to shock someone with sight, sound, or taste.
This expression may have developed in the middle of 20th century as a dramatic or humorous variation of "To make someone’s hair stand on end".
3) "To make someone’s blood run cold"/ "To make someone’s blood curdle" – to shock or horrify someone.
The phrase comes from the medieval physiological scheme of the four humours in the human body (melancholy, blood, phlegm and choler). Under this scheme blood was the hot, moist element, so the effect of horror or fear in making the blood run cold or curdling (solidifying) it was to make it unable to fulfill its proper function of supplying the body with vital heat or energy.
4) "To scare the pants off someone" (slang) – to frighten someone very badly.
5) "To scare someone out of their wits/ senses" – to frighten someone badly, suddenly or both.
6) "To scare living daylights out of someone" – give someone a very severe fright.
This expression was a mid 20th-century development from "To beat the living daylights out of" on the premise that the effect of extreme fear is as drastic as physical violence.
“Daylight” or “daylights” has been used from the mid 18th century as a metaphor for “eyes”, and here has the extended sense of any vital organ of the body.
7) "To frighten/ scare the hell/ the sh*t out of someone - to make someone feel very frightened.
8) "To give someone the willies" – make someone feel very nervous and apprehensive (fast ride, exams etc.).
Willies has historical references back to a man acting like a child, but also was reference in Yugoslavia as a spirit or ghost.
9) "To give someone the creeps" – to make you feel frightened or nervous ; to cause someone to feel dislike or disgust.
Are these idioms used in your country?
Do you use/ know other idioms with the same sense?
Many Thanks for all your answers!
I've found some idioms with the sense "to frighten":
1) "To make someone’s hair stand on end"/ "To make someone’s hair stand up on the back of someone’s neck" – to cause someone to be very frightened.
When you make someone scared or panic or to shock them.
2) "To curl someone’s hair"/ "To make someone’s hair curl" – to frighten or alarm someone; to shock someone with sight, sound, or taste.
This expression may have developed in the middle of 20th century as a dramatic or humorous variation of "To make someone’s hair stand on end".
3) "To make someone’s blood run cold"/ "To make someone’s blood curdle" – to shock or horrify someone.
The phrase comes from the medieval physiological scheme of the four humours in the human body (melancholy, blood, phlegm and choler). Under this scheme blood was the hot, moist element, so the effect of horror or fear in making the blood run cold or curdling (solidifying) it was to make it unable to fulfill its proper function of supplying the body with vital heat or energy.
4) "To scare the pants off someone" (slang) – to frighten someone very badly.
5) "To scare someone out of their wits/ senses" – to frighten someone badly, suddenly or both.
6) "To scare living daylights out of someone" – give someone a very severe fright.
This expression was a mid 20th-century development from "To beat the living daylights out of" on the premise that the effect of extreme fear is as drastic as physical violence.
“Daylight” or “daylights” has been used from the mid 18th century as a metaphor for “eyes”, and here has the extended sense of any vital organ of the body.
7) "To frighten/ scare the hell/ the sh*t out of someone - to make someone feel very frightened.
8) "To give someone the willies" – make someone feel very nervous and apprehensive (fast ride, exams etc.).
Willies has historical references back to a man acting like a child, but also was reference in Yugoslavia as a spirit or ghost.
9) "To give someone the creeps" – to make you feel frightened or nervous ; to cause someone to feel dislike or disgust.
Are these idioms used in your country?
Do you use/ know other idioms with the same sense?
Many Thanks for all your answers!