take fright
idiom
: to suddenly become afraid
I approached very slowly, but the hawk took fright and flew away.
Investors took fright at the news and pulled their money.
Examples of take fright in a Sentence
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That inflationary hit could be compounded if investors take fright and sell the pound, putting additional upward pressure on import costs.
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Joe Mayes, Bloomberg.com, 16 Oct. 2020
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Joe Mayes, Bloomberg.com, 16 Oct. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Take fright.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20fright. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
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