scare out of one's wits Idioma
scare out of one's wits|daylights|out of one's wit
v. phr.,
informal To frighten very much.
The owl's hooting scared him out of his wits. The child was scared stiff in the dentist's chair. Pete's ghost story scared the daylights out of the smaller boys.
scare out of one's wits
scare out of one's wits Also,
frighten out of one's wits;
scare stiff or
silly or
to death or
the living daylights out of or
the pants off. Terrify, make one panic, as in
When the lights went out, she was scared out of her wits, or
I was scared stiff that I would fail the driver's test. The first of these hyperbolic terms,
scare out of one's wits, is the oldest and, like
silly, suggests one is frightened enough to lose one's mind. The verb
scare dates from about 1200, and
out of one's wits was first recorded in William Tyndale's translation of the Bible in 1526 (I Corinthians 14:23): “Will they not say that ye are out of your wits?” They were first put together in 1697, the same period from which came
scare out of one's seven senses, a usage now obsolete. The variant using
daylights, which sometimes occurs without
living, dates from the 1950s.
Daylights at one time referred to the eyes but here means “vital organs.”
Frighten to death was first recorded in Charles Dickens's
Barnaby Rudge (1840) and
scare to death probably appeared about the same time. However,
to death used as an intensifier dates from the 1500s. These terms allude to the fact that a sudden fright can precipitate cardiac arrest.
Scare stiff, first recorded in 1905, alludes to the temporary paralysis that can accompany intense fear. For the last variant, see also under
pants off, the.
scare (one) out of (one's) wits
To shock or affright one actual aback or severely. (Hyperbolically alludes to alarming one so abominably that they lose their sanity.) Don't bastard up on me like that, you afraid me out of my wits! That car blow seems to accept afraid Janet out of her wits. She's still annoyed by it.Learn more: of, out, scare, witscare out of one's wits
Also, frighten out of one's wits; scare annealed or asinine or to afterlife or the active daylights out of or the pants off . Terrify, accomplish one panic, as in When the lights went out, she was afraid out of her wits, or I was afraid annealed that I would abort the driver's test. The aboriginal of these abstract terms, scare out of one's wits, is the oldest and, like silly, suggests one is abashed abundant to lose one's mind. The verb scare dates from about 1200, and out of one's wits was aboriginal recorded in William Tyndale's adaptation of the Bible in 1526 (I Corinthians 14:23): "Will they not say that ye are out of your wits?" They were aboriginal put calm in 1697, the aforementioned aeon from which came scare out of one's seven senses, a acceptance now obsolete. The alternative application daylights, which sometimes occurs after living, dates from the 1950s. Daylights at one time referred to the eyes but actuality agency "vital organs." Frighten to death was aboriginal recorded in Charles Dickens's Barnaby Rudge (1840) and scare to death apparently appeared about the aforementioned time. However, to death acclimated as an intensifier dates from the 1500s. These agreement allude to the actuality that a abrupt alarm can accelerate cardiac arrest. Scare stiff, aboriginal recorded in 1905, alludes to the acting aeroembolism that can accompany acute fear. For the aftermost variant, Learn added beneath pants off. Learn more: of, out, scare, wit