Middle English Dictionary Entry
afrighten v.
Entry Info
| Forms | afrighten v. Ppl. afright, afyrht, afurht, afrought. |
| Etymology | OE āfyrhtan, ppl. āfyrht. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. frighten.
1.
ben afright, to be frightened or terrified; be afraid (of sth.), be in fear (of losing sth.); fig. of floods: undeterred.
Associated quotations
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)108/20 : Þa wæren heo swiðe afyrhte.
- c1175(?OE) HRood (Bod 343)16/7 : Ða he þa ðæt iherde, þa wearð he miclon afurht.
- c1330 Otuel (Auch)557 : King charles..was swiþe sore afriȝt To lese roulond.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2784 : Sche nas but afriȝt for fere of þat dint.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)138 : Wan þe frensche ihurde þys, sore þay wern afriȝte.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4085 : Myn herte is soore afright.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)10551 : For drede of deþ he was affryȝt.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)1896 : Of þes tydynges Ioachym affryht Worchyped þe aungel.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)13332 : Sore jn here hertis they weren afryht.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)658 : Ful sore of him thei were afright.
- a1475(a1456) Shirley Death Jas.(Add 5467)13 : An horribill tode assailid hym..he was sore afright and aferd of hym.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)1878 : We were full sore afryght, Leste som treson were vs Amonge.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)2413 : Launcelot Answeryd with hert sore, Thoughe he were nothynge A-froughte.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)39/541 : Thise floodis, not afright, all this warld so wide has mevid.
2.
(a) To frighten (sb.); (b) to become frightened.
Associated quotations
a
- c1450 Gower CA (Hrl 3490)3.1422 : Afrighte [vr. afriht; Frf: Merveile, which so sore aflihte A mannes herte].
b
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)68 : Whan these woordes j vnderstood, myn herte al afrighte.