scare the life out of (one)

scare the life out of (one)

To shock or frighten one very suddenly and/or severely. Hyperbolically alludes to frightening one so badly as to cause them to die. Don't sneak up on me like that, you scared the life out of me! That car accident seems to have scared the life out of Janet—she's still shaken by it.See also: life, of, out, scare

frighten/scare the ˈlife out of somebody

frighten somebody very much: Don’t do that! You scared the life out of me creeping up on me like that!See also: frighten, life, of, out, scare, somebody