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espantar

to frighten; to scare away

verb ehs-pan-TAHR Rare
Mind & Emotions Emotions

Also means

to horrify

Usage Note

Espantar can mean both to cause fright (el ruido espantó a los pájaros — the noise scared the birds away) and to express strong disgust or shock (me espanta la idea — the idea horrifies me). The reflexive espantarse means 'to be scared' or 'to be appalled'; in Latin America it often implies fleeing in surprise.

Examples

"El perro espantó a los pájaros del jardín."

Natural Translation

The dog scared the birds out of the garden.

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