affright

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

affright
    n 1: an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety [syn: {panic},
         {terror}, {affright}]
    v 1: cause fear in; "The stranger who hangs around the building
         frightens me"; "Ghosts could never affright her" [syn:
         {frighten}, {fright}, {scare}, {affright}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Affright \Af*fright"\, n.
   1. Sudden and great fear; terror. It expresses a stronger
      impression than fear, or apprehension, perhaps less than
      terror.
      [1913 Webster]

            He looks behind him with affright, and forward with
            despair.                              --Goldsmith.
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   2. The act of frightening; also, a cause of terror; an object
      of dread. --B. Jonson.
      [1913 Webster]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Affright \Af*fright"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Affrighted}; p. pr.
   & vb. n. {Affrighting}.] [Orig. p. p.; OE. afright, AS.
   [=a]fyrhtan to terrify; [=a]- (cf. Goth. us-, Ger. er-, orig.
   meaning out) + fyrhto fright. See {Fright}.]
   To impress with sudden fear; to frighten; to alarm.
   [1913 Webster]

         Dreams affright our souls.               --Shak.
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         A drear and dying sound
         Affrights the flamens at their service quaint.
                                                  --Milton.
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   Syn: To terrify; frighten; alarm; dismay; appall; scare;
        startle; daunt; intimidate.
        [1913 Webster]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Affright \Af*fright"\, p. a.
   Affrighted. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
   [1913 Webster]