scared stiff
scared stiff (idiom)
/ˈskerd stɪf/
Synopsis
The idiom “scared stiff” means to be so afraid that one becomes unable to move, expressing an extreme or immobilizing fear. It combines the participle “scared,” meaning frightened, with “stiff,” describing the rigid stillness that often accompanies terror. The phrase originated in British English and likely arose from natural spoken usage. Its vivid image of fear turning the body rigid has made it one of the most enduring and universally understood expressions of terror in the English language.
Meanings
- So afraid that you cannot move.
- Extremely frightened or terrified.
- Used informally to emphasize the word “scared.”
Synonyms: petrified; terrified; scared to death; frozen with fear; panic-stricken.
Example Sentences
- She was scared stiff when she heard someone knocking at her window late at night.
- He stood scared stiff at the sight of the tiger in front of him.
- The kids were scared stiff after watching that horror movie.
Origin and History
The idiom “scared stiff” vividly captures an overwhelming sense of fear that leaves a person rigid or unable to move. It blends emotional intensity with physical imagery, expressing terror through the natural human response of freezing under fright. The phrase’s simplicity and immediacy have made it one of English’s most enduring depictions of fear.
Historical Record
The earliest verified appearance of “scared stiff” occurs in ‘The Evergreen, or, Facts Stranger Than Fiction,’ published in London in 1831. The line reads:
“Scared stiff, unable to express himself—I give it in my own words—went through the affair from beginning to end.”
This early nineteenth-century record situates the phrase firmly within British English, suggesting that it was already part of common spoken language. Its casual use within narrative prose implies that it originated in everyday conversation rather than as a literary invention.
Linguistic Formation
The structure of “scared stiff” follows a straightforward yet powerful English pattern: a participle combined with a descriptive adjective. The first element, “scared,” conveys fear or alarm, while “stiff” intensifies the effect by portraying physical rigidity. In this way, the idiom uses a tangible bodily condition to express emotional paralysis. This compounding technique was common in English of the period, as seen in related idioms such as “bored stiff” and “worried sick.”
Figurative and Cultural Context
During the early nineteenth century, English speakers increasingly favored vivid physical metaphors to express emotion. “Scared stiff” reflects this linguistic creativity, drawing from the human experience of freezing in fear—a reaction both psychological and physical. The phrase captures the instinctive stillness that often accompanies terror, turning a bodily response into a concise emotional image.
Its figurative strength lies in its realism: the listener instantly visualizes the scene. Like “frozen with fear” or “petrified,” it translates emotion into imagery, bridging the psychological with the physical. This natural metaphorical process gave “scared stiff” both its expressive force and its long-lasting place in English speech.
Enduring Significance
The continued use of “scared stiff” through nearly two centuries of English shows the timelessness of its construction. Its meaning is instantly clear even to modern speakers, and its imagery remains as vivid as when it first appeared in print. The phrase endures because it speaks to a universal experience—the moment when fear becomes so strong that movement itself seems impossible.
Origin Summary
Emerging in British English by 1831, “scared stiff” exemplifies the power of everyday language to capture human emotion through physical metaphor. Its origin lies in ordinary speech, its structure in the natural rhythm of English, and its endurance in the clarity of its imagery. The phrase stands as a linguistic portrayal of fear made tangible—an idiom born from the human instinct to describe emotion through the body itself.
Variants
- scared to death
- petrified (with fear)
- frozen with fear
- scared out of one’s wits
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