Affright, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Affrighted; p. pr. & vb. n. Affrighting.]
Etymology: [Orig. p. p.; OE. afright, AS. afyrhtan to terrify; a- (cf. Goth. us-, Ger. er-, orig. meaning out) + fyrhto fright. See Fright.]
To impress with sudden fear; to frighten; to alarm. Dreams affright our souls. Shak. A drear and dying sound Affrights the flamens at their service quaint. Milton.
Syn. -- To terrify; frighten; alarm; dismay; appall; scare; startle; daunt; intimidate.
2 other Webster entries under this spelling
Affright, p. a.
Affrighted. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Affright, n.
1. Sudden and great fear; terror. It expresses a stronger impression than fear, or apprehension, perhaps less than terror. He looks behind him with affright, and forward with despair. Goldsmith.
2. The act of frightening; also, a cause of terror; an object of dread. B. Jonson.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for affright; he lists it under alarm, fear, frighten.
Where he writes about it:
Affright and fright express sudden fear which, for the time at least, overwhelms courage. — from alarm
The sentinel discovers with alarm the sudden approach of the enemy; the unarmed villagers view it with affright. — from alarm
Horror (etymologically a shivering or shuddering) denotes a shuddering fear accompanied with abhorrence or such a shock to the feelings and sensibilities as may exist without fear, as when one suddenly encounters some ghastly spectacle; we say of a desperate but fettered criminal, "I looked upon him with horror." Where horror includes fear, it is fear mingled with abhorrence. (See abhor.) Affright, fright, and terror are always sudden, and in actual presence of that which is terrible. — from fear