scare straight

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

scare straight (third-person singular simple present scares straight, present participle scaring straight, simple past and past participle scared straight)

1. (transitive, idiomatic) To frighten (someone) to such a degree that a significant improvement in behavior results.
   • 1982 September 3, Ellen Goodman, “Work ethic remains strong as ever”, in Spokesman-Review, Spokane, USA, retrieved 13 February 2013, page 4:

     Indeed, there is a streak of Reaganomics that believes the only way to motivate American workers is to scare them straight with unemployment charts.

   • 2005 March 16, Pete Thamel, “Scared Straight Into the Courts of Basketball”, in New York Times, retrieved 13 February 2013:

     Thomas credited the boot camp for scaring him straight.

   • 2006 May 15, "How Bill Put the Fizz in the Fight Against Fat, Time (retrieved 13 Feb 2013):

     Slimmed down and scared straight after his bypass surgery, Clinton brokers a deal to get sugary drinks out of schools.

Usage notes

• Often used in the past participial form, scared straight.

See also

• set straight