If something or someone frightens you, they cause you to suddenly feel afraid, anxious, or nervous.

If something frightens the life out of you, frightens the wits out of you, or frightens you out of your wits, it causes you to feel suddenly afraid or gives you a very unpleasant shock.

If you frighten away a person or animal or frighten them off, you make them afraid so that they run away or stay some distance away from you.

To frighten someone away or frighten them off means to make them nervous so that they decide not to become involved with a particular person or activity.

If you frighten someone into doing something they would not normally do, you make them do it by making them afraid not to do it.