From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Frighten \Fright"en\, v. t. [imp. Frightened; p. pr. & vb. n.
Frightening.] [See Fright, v. t.]
To disturb with fear; to throw into a state of alarm or
fright; to affright; to terrify.
[1913 Webster]
More frightened than hurt. --Old Proverb.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
frighten
v 1: cause fear in; "The stranger who hangs around the building
frightens me"; "Ghosts could never affright her" [syn:
frighten, fright, scare, affright]
2: drive out by frightening