scare away
A2 neutral separable transitive
In simple words
To make someone or something run away because you scared them.
Literal meaning: To frighten something so it goes away — transparent.
Meanings
1 A2 neutral
(Literal) To cause an animal or person to flee by frightening them.
"The farmer put up a scarecrow to scare away the crows from his crops."
Grammar: separable
2 B1
idiomatic
neutral
(Figurative) To deter someone from participating, investing, or engaging by making something seem frightening or off-putting.
"The high prices scared away many potential buyers at the auction."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
Interchangeable with 'scare off' in most contexts. Used literally (animals fleeing) and figuratively (deterring potential customers, investors, partners). Very common in everyday speech.
Commonly used with
birds customers investors children wildlife competitors
Forms
Base
scare away
I/you/we/they
3rd person
scares away
he/she/it
Past simple
scared away
yesterday
Past participle
scared away
have + pp
-ing form
scaring away
continuous
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