scare the living daylights out of
Frighten beyond measure
To scare the living daylights out of someone is to frighten them severely, often with sudden or unexpected intensity: That horror movie scared the living daylights out of me.
The phrase suggests fear so extreme it could knock the life or sense out of a person.
Daylights here is old slang for eyes or vital essence.
- terrifyCause extreme fright
- frightenCause sudden alarm
- scareCause sudden fright
- petrifyFossilize or paralyze utterly
- white as a sheetExtremely pale from shock
alarm · chilling · fear · trembling · goosebumps · screams · intimidate · horrify · panic · appal · unnerve · dread · terror · horror · freezing up · cold sweat · shivering · heart-pounding