scare up
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English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Figurative sense US from 1846.
Verb[edit]
scare up (third-person singular simple present scares up, present participle scaring up, simple past and past participle scared up)
- To frighten (an animal, especially a game animal) into appearing from cover.
- 1881, Henry David Thoreau, Early Spring in Massachusetts:
- Soon after, we scare up a flock of black ducks.
- 1913, Jack London, The Cruise of the "Snark", published 2008, unnumbered page:
- They ranged along abreast of the Snark on either side, pouncing upon the flying-fish her forefoot scared up.
- 2004, William Barksdale Maynard, Walden Pond, page 105:
- In September, Henry walked Emerson's frequent route, Hosmer's-Goose Pond-Walden, and viewed the pond from the hill on the north side with the sawed pine stump atop, scaring up black ducks.
- (figuratively) To find or procure (something), especially something not easily found or procured, and especially while relying on chance to provide the means.
- 1881, William Dean Howells, A Modern Instance, page 185:
- “By the way,” said his friend, “let’s go over into Leopoldstadt, and see if we can’t scare up a sleigh for a little turn in the suburbs.”
- 1990, Miller's Crossing, 01:25:07
- "Scare me up some gargle, will you?"
- 2003, Stephanie Stein Crease, Gil Evans: Out of the Cool: His Life and Music, page 6:
- Gil also scared up other part-time jobs while in high school—delivering gas canisters and playing solo piano at tea time at the elegant Hotel Stockton.
- 2004, Michael Streissguth, Voices of the Country: Interviews With Classic Country Performers, page 80:
- Now, whenever he's in Nashville scaring up clients and I'm there scaring up stories, we hit the hillbilly circuit.
- 2005, Stephen J. Cannell, Cold Hit, page 367:
- “With the current budget crunch and the Fingertip case inactive, I couldn’t scare up much enthusiasm.”
Translations[edit]
to frighten an animal
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to find or get something difficult
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