Scared silly Meaning in English
expression · lemma: scare
ˈskɛɹd/ /ˈsɪɫi
SKAIRD SIL-ee
skˈeəd/ /sˈɪli
SKAIRD SIL-ee
Definition
To be extremely frightened or terrified, much more than just a little scared; informal and emphasizes a strong emotional reaction.
Usage & Nuances
Very informal, used mainly in speech. Common with 'I was scared silly' or 'scared the kids silly'. Stronger than 'scared', but less intense than 'petrified'. Often suggests being scared in a sudden, comic, or exaggerated way.
Spanish: muerto de miedo - aterrorizadoPortuguese (BR): morrido de medo - apavoradoPortuguese (PT): cheio de medo - assustadíssimoChinese (Simplified): 吓坏了 - 吓得不知所措Chinese (Traditional): 嚇壞了 - 嚇得不知所措Hindi: बुरी तरह डर जानाArabic: خائف جدًا - مرعوبBengali: ভয়ে আকুল - ভয়ে হতবাকRussian: до смерти напугать - напугать до умопомраченияJapanese: 死ぬほど怖がらせる - めちゃくちゃ怖がるVietnamese: hoảng hốt cực độ - sợ phát khiếpKorean: 겁에 질리게 하다 - 완전히 무섭게 하다Turkish: ödünü patlatmak - aşırı korkutmakUrdu: ڈرا دینا (انتہائی خوفزدہ کرنا)Indonesian: membuat takut setengah mati - membuat sangat ketakutan
Example Sentences
The loud thunder scared silly my little brother.
basic
I was scared silly during the horror movie.
basic
She was scared silly by the barking dog.
basic
When I saw the snake in my shoe, I was scared silly!
natural
That haunted house really scared me silly last night.
natural
I don’t usually get nervous, but that roller coaster scared me silly!
natural