Definition of the word frighten away

The phrase "frighten away" has originated from the English language, and its roots can be traced back to the Old English time. The Old English word for "frighten" was "frēoterian," meaning "to terrify" or "to frighten." The word "away" in Old English was "ū scenes," which literally translated means "far off" or "distant." Over time, the spelling of these words changed due to various language innovations, such as the Great Vowel Shift, the loss of final consonant sounds, and the adoption of French and Latin loanwords. By the Middle English era, the word "frēoterian" had transformed into "frichten," and "ō scene" had evolved into "āwey" or "āwi." The modern-day form of "frighten away" first appeared in the mid-16th century as "frighten Anne," where "Anne" was simply a placeholder name that could be replaced by any other noun to make a construction like "frighten the birds away." Today, the phrase is commonly used in a variety of contexts, including to describe animals, people, or inanimate objects that have been driven away by something frightening or intimidating. In summary, the phrase "frighten away" has a rich history, stemming from the roots of Old English, where it was used to describe the act of scaring something "far off" or "distant." Its meaning and forms have evolved over the centuries, but the essence of the phrase remains the same: to drive something away through the power of fright.