Obs. Forms: 1 a-fyrhted, 1–2 a-fyrht, 3 ? affuruht (ū), 4 ? ofright, afriȝt, ? affriȝt, afryȝt, 5 affryht, afryht, afryght, 5–6 afright, 6 affright. [pa. pple. of OE. *afyrhtan, not found in any other part, f. A- pref. 1 intensive + fyrht-an to frighten, terrify: see FRIGHT. There appears to have been also a derivative of-fyrhtan, OFFRIGHT, in 12th–13th c., the pple. of which of-fyrht was afterwards confounded with a-fyrht, whence prob. the early forms marked with ? above; but the eventual doubling of the f is after the analogy of forms like af-firm, af-fix, from L. ad. A later form is AFFRIGHTED.] Struck with sudden fear; terrified, frightened.
a. 1000. Andreas, 1531. He afyrhted wearð.
a. 1000. O. E. Gosp., Matt. xxviii. 4. Þa weardas wæron afyrhte.
c. 1160. Hatt. Gosp., ibid. þa weardes wæren afyrhte.
c. 1230. Ancren Riwle, 362. Þe ueond is affuruht and offered of swuche.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 158. Þe mayden Berenger scho was alle ofright.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 1889. A-fryȝt he wax of hym sum del; so grym a was in gale. Ibid., 2199. Þat þan was sore afriȝt.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, xx. 10. In his herte he was wondirly afryght.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., II. v. 37. As one affright With hellish feends, or furies mad uprore.
1647. H. More, Resolution, 175. The weakned phansy sore affright With the grim shades of grisely Night.
