oþ deaþ ondrædan

Old English

Etymology

Could be an ancient phrase, since similar phrases exist in modern Germanic languages.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /oθ dæ͜ɑːθ onˈdræː.dɑn/

Verb

oþ dēaþ ondrǣdan

1. (idiomatic) to be scared to death (+accusative or genitive of something) (often with a dative reflexive pronoun)
   • late 10th century, Life of Malchus

     Wit wēndon þæt þæt wǣren uncre hlāfordas, and wit unc þā ondrēdon oþ dēaþ.

     We thought they were our masters, and we were scared to death.