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Scare vs Menace - What's the difference?

scare | menace |

As verbs the difference between scare and menace

is that scare is to frighten, terrify, startle, especially in a minor way while menace is .

As a noun scare

is a minor fright.

scare

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A minor fright.
    • Johnny had a bad scare last night.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=June 4 , author=Phil McNulty , title=England 2 - 2 Switzerland , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=England were held to a draw after surviving a major scare against Switzerland as they were forced to come from two goals behind to earn a point in the Euro 2012 qualifier at Wembley.}}
  • A cause of slight terror; something that inspires fear or dread.
    • JM is a scare to the capitalists of this country.

    Synonyms

    * fright

    Related terms

    * scary

    See also

    * scarecrow

    Verb

  • To frighten, terrify, startle, especially in a minor way.
    • Did it scare you when I said "Boo!"?
  • * (rfdate) (Shakespeare)
    • The noise of thy crossbow / Will scare the herd, and so my shoot is lost.
  • * (The Langoliers)
    • (Laurel Stevenson) Would you please be quiet? You're scaring the little girl.
    (Craig Toomey) Scaring the little girl?! Scaring the little girl?! Lady!

    Synonyms

    * frighten * terrify * See also

    Derived terms

    * bird-scarer * Red scare * scarecrow * scared * scaredy-cat * scaremonger * scare out of one's wits * scarer * scare straight * scare the pants off of

    Anagrams

    * ----

    menace

    English

    Etymology 1

    First attested ante 1300: from the (etyl) manace, menace, from the (etyl) .

    Noun

    (menaces)
  • a perceived threat or danger
  • * Dryden
    • the dark menace of the distant war
  • the act of threatening
  • an annoying and bothersome person

    • References

    * “ menace, n.'']” listed in the '' [2nd Ed.; 1989

    Etymology 2

    First attested in 1303: from the (etyl) menacer, manecier, manechier and the (etyl) manasser, from the assumed , whence .

    Verb

    (transitive'' or ''intransitive )
  • To make threats against (someone); to intimidate.
    • to menace a country with war
  • * Shakespeare
    • My master did menace me with death.
  • To threaten (an evil to be inflicted).
  • * Shakespeare
    • By oath he menaced / Revenge upon the cardinal.
  • To endanger (someone or something); to imperil or jeopardize.

    • References

    * “ menace, v.'']” listed in the ''Oxford English Dictionary [2nd Ed.; 1989 ----