scare
UK[skeə]US[sker]
v
To cause someone to feel frightened or anxious.
n
A sudden feeling of fear or alarm.
Etymology
The verb 'scare' entered English from the Old Norse 'skirra', meaning 'to frighten'. This Norse term is related to the Old English word 'sceran', meaning 'to shear' or 'to cut', suggesting a conceptual link to a sudden, sharp action that causes one to jump or flinch. Over time, the sense evolved from the physical act of causing a sudden movement to the psychological state of sudden fear. The modern abstract meaning, denoting the act of inducing fright or the instance of being frightened, fully crystallized in Middle English.
Analysis
The word 'scare' is a simplex word of Old Norse origin. It does not contain separable, meaningful morphemes in modern English.
Examples
The loud noise in the dark alley did scare me.
She had a nasty scare when her dog ran into the busy street.
His intention was not to scare the children but to tell them a thrilling adventure story.