different between repel vs frighten

English

Etymology

From Middle English repellen, a borrowing from Old French *repeller, from Latin repellere (“to drive back”), from re- (“back”) + pellere (“to drive”). Doublet of repeal.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /???p?l/

Verb

repel (third-person singular simple present repels, present participle repelling, simple past and past participle repelled)

1. (transitive, now rare) To turn (someone) away from a privilege, right, job, etc. [from 15th c.]
2. (transitive) To reject, put off (a request, demand etc.). [from 15th c.]
3. (transitive) To ward off (a malignant influence, attack etc.). [from 15th c.]
4. (transitive) To drive back (an assailant, advancing force etc.). [from 15th c.]
   • 2011, Ian Traynor, The Guardian, 19 May 2011:

     In nearby Zintan, rebels repelled an advance by Gaddafi's forces, killing eight and taking one prisoner, a local activist said.

5. (transitive, physics) To force away by means of a repulsive force. [from 17th c.]
6. (transitive) To cause repulsion or dislike in; to disgust. [from 18th c.]
   • 2008, The Guardian, 26 Jan 2008:

     However, while the idea of a free holiday appeals enormously, I am frankly repelled by the idea of spending a couple of weeks in your company.

7. (transitive, sports) To save (a shot).

Synonyms

• (nonstandard, rare) withdrive

Antonyms

• attract

Related terms

• repulse
• repulsion
• repulsive
• repellent

Translations

Further reading

• repel in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• repel in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• repel at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• Epler, Lepre, leper

English

Alternative forms

• freighten (obsolete)

Etymology

From fright +? -en.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?f?a?tn?/
• Rhymes: -a?t?n
• Hyphenation: frigh?ten

Verb

frighten (third-person singular simple present frightens, present participle frightening, simple past and past participle frightened)

1. (transitive) To cause to feel fear; to scare; to cause to feel alarm or fright.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:frighten

Derived terms

• frightening

Translations

Anagrams

• fringeth

Middle English

Alternative forms

• fri?ten, fyrten

Etymology

From Old English fyrhtan; equivalent to fright +? -en.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?frixt?n/, [?friçt?n]

Verb

frighten

1. To frighten, scare

Conjugation

Descendants

• English: (to) fright (archaic)

References

• “frighten, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-05.