Scarecrows Do Not Frighten Crows for Long
To scare is to frighten suddenly. The scarecrow is the most familiar compound, and birds soon learn to ignore it.
To scare is to frighten, especially suddenly. The scarecrow is the word's best-known compound and also a lesson in animal intelligence: crows habituate to a motionless figure within days, which is why farmers move them, change their clothes or add noise. Corvids are among the few birds known to recognise individual human faces. *Scare quotes* are quotation marks used to signal doubt about a term, and a *scaremonger* deals in alarm.
- To frighten. *Don't scare her.*
- A fright. *A bad scare.*
- Scarecrow — a field figure. *A scarecrow.*
- Scare quotes — doubtful quotation marks. *Scare quotes.*
- Old Norse — *skirra*, to frighten. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | scare | Scare it. |
| Past | scared | Scared. |
| Noun | scare | A scare. |
| Adjective | scary | Scary. |
| Compound | scarecrow | A scarecrow. |
- The noise scared the horses.Verb.
- It gave us a real scare.Noun.
- Crows learn to ignore scarecrows.Fact.
Scare compounds
- Scarecrow — a figure set in a field
- Scaremonger — one who spreads alarm
- Scare quotes — punctuation signalling doubt
- Scare tactics — persuasion through fear
- Scaredy-cat — a childish taunt for a timid person
From Old Norse *skirra*, to frighten, from *skjarr*, timid or shy.
Do scarecrows work?
Only briefly. Crows habituate to a motionless figure within days, so farmers move them, redress them or add movement and noise.
What are scare quotes?
Quotation marks placed around a word to signal that the writer doubts or distances themselves from the term.