Scare straight Meaning in English
expression
التعريف
To frighten someone so much that they change their bad behavior or avoid getting into trouble, usually by showing the real dangers of their actions.
الاستخدام والفروق الدقيقة
Mostly informal and tied to youth crime or risky behaviors. Commonly used in the phrase 'scared straight' (past participle), often referring to programs that use fear as motivation for change. The concept is mainly American and well-known from the 'Scared Straight!' program. Avoid in highly formal writing.
جمل نموذجية
The police tried to scare straight the troubled teens by showing them a real jail.
basic
Programs that scare straight young people aim to stop crime before it starts.
basic
Sometimes, a visit to court helps to scare straight teenagers at risk.
basic
He thought stealing was cool until the cops tried to scare straight him with stories from real prisoners.
natural
That documentary shows how hard it can be to scare straight some kids who keep getting into trouble.
natural
Parents sometimes hope a little shock will scare straight their rebellious kids, but it doesn't always work.
natural