fright

来自PIE*perg, 恐惧，害怕。与fear没有辞源上的联系。

fright

fright: [OE] Prehistoric Germanic *furkhtaz, an adjective of unknown origin (not related to English fear), meant ‘afraid’. From it was derived a noun *furkhtīn, which was the basis of one of the main words for ‘fear’ among the ancient Germanic languages (not superseded as the chief English term by fear until the 13th century). Its modern descendants include German furcht and English fright (in which the original sequence ‘vowel plus r’ was reversed by the process known as metathesis – something which also happened to Middle Low German vruchte, from which Swedish fruktan and Danish frygt ‘fear’ were borrowed).

fright (n.)

Middle English freiht, fright, from Old English (Northumbrian) fryhto, metathesis of Old English fyrhtu "fear, dread, trembling, horrible sight," from Proto-Germanic *furkhtaz "afraid" (cognates: Old Saxon forhta, Old Frisian fruchte, Old High German forhta, German Furcht, Gothic faurhtei "fear"). Not etymologically related to the word fear, which superseded it 13c. as the principal word except in cases of sudden terror. For spelling evolution, see fight (v.).

fright (v.)

"to frighten," Middle English, from Old English fyrhtan "to terrify, fill with fear," from the source of fright (n.). Old English also had forhtian "be afraid, become full of fear, tremble," but the primary sense of the verb in Middle English was "to make afraid."

1. Howard wanted to be a popular singer, but stage fright crippled him.

霍华德想成为流行歌手，但因怯场而心生畏惧。

2. An untrained horse had taken fright at the sound of gunfire.

一匹未经训练的马听到枪响受了惊。

3. One boy, aged about 11, looks frozen with fright.

一个大约11岁的男孩吓得一动不动。

4. You naughty boy, you gave me such a fright.

你这调皮鬼，吓了我一跳。

5. To hide my fright I asked a question.

为了掩饰自己的恐惧，我问了个问题。