affrightment

English

Etymology

From affright +‎ -ment.

Noun

affrightment (uncountable)

1. (obsolete) The action of frightening or terrifying; intimidation.
2. (obsolete) A cause of fear.
3. (archaic) Fright; fear; alarm; the fact or state of being frightened.
   • 1693, [John Locke], “(please specify the section number)”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], →OCLC:

     Passionate words or blows from the tutor, fill the child's mind with terrour and affrightment; which immediately takes it wholly up, and leaves no room for other impressions.

   • 1748, [Samuel Richardson], chapter 7, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume I, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson;  […], →OCLC:

     I [looked] at him, when I could glance at him, with disgust little short of affrightment.

References

• John A. Simpson and Edmund S. C. Weiner, editors (1989), “affrightment”, in The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, →ISBN.