Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - frighten away

or frighten off 1. 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. The fishermen said the company’s seismic survey was frightening away fish... He fired into the air, hoping that the noise would frighten them off. = scare off PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V n P 2. 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. Building society repossessions have frightened buyers off... The government is convinced that the bombers want to frighten away foreign investors. = scare off PHRASAL VERB: V n P, V P n (not pron)