espantar

v.

1 to frighten or scare away.

espanta a las moscas con el rabo it keeps the flies off with its tail

El monstruo espanta a los chicos The monster frightens the kids.

2 to frighten, to scare.

3 to appall, to shock.

4 to chase away, to shoo off, to shoo out, to beat.

El granjero espantó a los cuervos The farmer chased away the crows.

5 to be frightening, to be scary, to be frightful, to inspire fear.

Esa vieja casa espanta That old house is frightening.

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espantar

► verbo transitivo

1 (asustar) to frighten, scare, scare off

2 (ahuyentar) to frighten away

► verbo pronominal espantarse

1 (asustarse) to be frightened, be scared

■ el perro se espantó con el ruido the dog was scared by the noise

■ se espantó de sus amenazas their threats frightened him

2 (asombrarse) to be amazed, be astonished

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1. VT

1) (=asustar) [gen] to frighten, scare; [haciendo huir] to frighten off o away, scare off o away

el ruido espantó a las reses — the noise frightened o scared the cattle

espantó a los perros con una escoba — she frightened the dogs off o away with a broom

con ese genio espanta a todas las chicas — with that temper of his he frightens o scares all the girls (off o away)

2) (=horrorizar) to horrify, appal

le espantaba la idea de tener que ir solo — he was horrified o appalled at the thought of having to go on his own

2.

See:

espantarse

* * *

1.

verbo transitivo

1)

a) (ahuyentar) <peces/pájaros> to frighten away

b) (asustar) <caballo> to frighten, scare

c) (apartar de si)

se tomó un café para espantar el sueño — she had a coffee to keep herself awake

cantando se espantan las penas — by singing you drive your troubles away

no podía espantar el miedo que sentía — he could not shake off his feeling of fear

2) (fam) (uso hiperbólico) to horrify, appall*

le espanta la idea de vivir allí — the idea of living there appalls o horrifies him

2.

espantar vi

a) (fam) (asustar)

es tan feo que espanta — he's absolutely hideous (colloq)

b) (Bol, Col, Ven fam) fantasma

en esa casa espantan — that house is haunted

3.

espantarse v pron

1) pájaro/peces to get frightened away; caballo to take fright, be startled

2) (fam) (uso hiberbólico) to be horrified o appalled

* * *

= chase away, scare away, drive away, spook.

Ex. Any recommendations on how to chase away the Monday blues?.

Ex. Falling state support for higher education has a number of onerous effects: increased tuition fees, more student debt, and a greater likelihood of scaring away low-income students.

Ex. Moreover, the shady image of video libraries drove away discerning customers.

Ex. The noise spooked the animals, and many stampeded over a cliff to their deaths.

----

* espantarse = shy.

* * *

1.

verbo transitivo

1)

a) (ahuyentar) <peces/pájaros> to frighten away

b) (asustar) <caballo> to frighten, scare

c) (apartar de si)

se tomó un café para espantar el sueño — she had a coffee to keep herself awake

cantando se espantan las penas — by singing you drive your troubles away

no podía espantar el miedo que sentía — he could not shake off his feeling of fear

2) (fam) (uso hiperbólico) to horrify, appall*

le espanta la idea de vivir allí — the idea of living there appalls o horrifies him

2.

espantar vi

a) (fam) (asustar)

es tan feo que espanta — he's absolutely hideous (colloq)

b) (Bol, Col, Ven fam) fantasma

en esa casa espantan — that house is haunted

3.

espantarse v pron

1) pájaro/peces to get frightened away; caballo to take fright, be startled

2) (fam) (uso hiberbólico) to be horrified o appalled

* * *

= chase away, scare away, drive away, spook.

Ex: Any recommendations on how to chase away the Monday blues?.

Ex: Falling state support for higher education has a number of onerous effects: increased tuition fees, more student debt, and a greater likelihood of scaring away low-income students.

Ex: Moreover, the shady image of video libraries drove away discerning customers.

Ex: The noise spooked the animals, and many stampeded over a cliff to their deaths.

* espantarse = shy.

* * *

espantar [A1 ]

vt

A

1 (ahuyentar) ‹peces/pájaros› to frighten away

2 (asustar) ‹caballo› to frighten, scare, spook (AmE)

con ese peinado lo vas a espantar al pobre (fam); with that hairstyle you'll frighten o scare the poor guy off (colloq)

3 (apartar de sí) ‹sueño/pena/miedo›

se tomó un café para espantar el sueño she had a coffee to stop herself from falling asleep o to keep herself awake

cantando se espantan las penas by singing you drive your troubles away o keep your troubles at bay

espanta de ti esos malos pensamientos drive those evil thoughts out of your mind, rid yourself of those evil thoughts (liter)

le era imposible espantar el miedo que sentía he could not drive away o shake off his feeling of fear

B (fam) (uso hiperbólico) to horrify, appall*

le espanta la idea de vivir allí the idea of living there appalls o horrifies him

■ espantar

vi

1 (fam)

(asustar): es tan feo que espanta he's absolutely hideous (colloq)

2

(Bol, Col, Ven fam) «fantasma»: dicen que en esa casa espantan they say that house is haunted

■ espantarse

v pron

A

1 «pájaro/peces» to get frightened away

2 «caballo» to take fright, be startled, spook (AmE)

B (fam) (uso hiberbólico) to be horrified o appalled

se va a espantar cuando lo sepa she'll be horrified o appalled when she finds out

* * *

espantar (conjugate espantar) verbo transitivo
1

a) (ahuyentar) ‹peces/pájaros› to frighten away

b) (asustar) ‹caballo› to frighten, scare

2 (fam) (horrorizar) to horrify, appall^{(conjugate appall)}
verbo intransitivo

a) (fam) (asustar):

◊ es tan feo que espanta he's absolutely hideous (colloq)

b) (Bol, Col, Ven fam) [fantasma]:

◊ en esa casa espantan that house is haunted

espantarse verbo pronominal [pájaro/peces] to get frightened away;
[caballo] to take fright, be startled
espantar verbo transitivo
1 (ahuyentar) to shoo o scare away: espantó a los atacantes con un tiro al aire, he scared away his attackers by firing a shot into the air
2 (causar espanto) to scare, frighten
'espantar' also found in these entries:
English:
scare
- frighten

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espantar

♦ vt

1. [ahuyentar] to frighten o scare away;

espanta a las moscas con el rabo it keeps the flies off with its tail;

Comp

RDom Fam

espantar la mula to split

2. [asustar] to frighten, to scare;

Fam

el loco de mi hermano me espanta a todos los novios my crazy brother frightens off o scares away all my boyfriends

3. [pasmar] to appal, to shock;

sus costumbres espantarían a cualquier occidental their customs would appal any Westerner

4. [apartar de la mente]

espanta sus penas bebiendo he drowns his sorrows in drink;

no conseguía espantar el fantasma de los celos she couldn't rid herself of the jealousy she felt

♦ vi

1. [asustar] to be frightening;

esa casa espanta sólo de verla that house is frightening just to look at

2. Méx, Ven [haber apariciones]

en esa casa espantan that house is haunted

♦ See also the pronominal verb espantarse

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espantar

v/t

1 (asustar) frighten, scare

2 (ahuyentar) frighten away, shoo away

3 fam (horrorizar) horrify, appall

* * *

espantar vt

asustar: to scare, to frighten

♦ See also the reflexive verb espantarse

* * *

espantar vb

1. (ahuyentar) to scare away / to frighten away

cállate o espantarás a los animales be quiet or you'll scare away the animals

¡espanta las moscas! shoo the flies away!

2. (causar miedo) to scare / to frighten

los truenos espantaron a los niños the thunder fightened the children

le espanta la oscuridad he's afraid of the dark / he's scared of the dark