frighten the daylights out of

frighten the (living) daylights out of (someone)

To shock or frighten someone very suddenly or severely. Don't sneak up on me like that; you frightened the living daylights out of me! Thank goodness that car swerved out of the way in time. That really frightened the living daylights out of me! Waking up to the sound of the howler monkeys nearly frightened the daylights out of us. We had no idea what we were hearing.

See also: daylight, frighten, of, out

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

frighten (or scare) the (living) daylights out of

give someone a very severe fright.

This expression was a mid 20th-century development from beat the living daylights out of , on the premise that the effect of extreme fear is as drastic as physical violence.

1955 Frank Yerby The Treasure of Pleasant Valley Didn't mean to hit him…Meant to throw close to him and scare the living daylights out of him.

See also: daylight, frighten, of, out

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017