Scare , n. Fright; esp., sudden fright produced by a trifling cause, or originating in mistake. [Colloq.]

Scare (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Scared (?); p. pr. & vb. n.Scaring.] [OE. skerren, skeren, Icel. skirra to bar, prevent, skirrask to shun , shrink from; or fr. OE. skerre, adj., scared, Icel. skjarr; both perhaps akin to E. sheer to turn.] To frighten; to strike with sudden fear; to alarm.

The noise of thy crossbow Will scare the herd, and so my shoot is lost. Shak.

To scare away, to drive away by frightening. -- To scare up, to find by search, as if by beating for game. [Slang]

Syn. -- To alarm; frighten; startle; affright; terrify.

-- Webster's unabridged 1913