字面直译是“把某人吓‘僵硬’”,实际表示“使某人极度恐惧/吓得魂不附体/呆若木鸡”(程度比普通的“scare sb.”更深,强调恐惧到身体僵硬、无法动弹的状态)。
该短语是及物动词短语,结构为:
1、 主动语态(常见):
The sudden appearance of the snake scared me stiff.
(蛇突然出现,把我吓得魂不附体。)
That horror movie scared the kids stiff—they couldn’t even move.
(那部恐怖片把孩子们吓得呆若木鸡——他们甚至动都动不了。)
The loud crash from the basement scared her stiff.
(地下室传来的巨大撞击声把她吓得浑身僵硬。)
2、 被动语态:
也可转换为“sb. be scared stiff by sth.”,强调“某人被某事吓到”:
I was scared stiff by the thunderstorm last night.
(昨晚的雷暴把我吓得半死。)
She’s still scared stiff by the car accident she witnessed.
(她至今还对目睹的车祸心有余悸,吓得不行。)
scare sb. to death:和“scare sb. stiff”程度相近,更强调“吓死”(夸张义);
scare sb. out of their wits:表示“吓得某人失去理智/魂飞魄散”;
make sb. jump out of their skin:侧重“突然惊吓”(比如背后突然拍肩膀)。
简言之,"scare sb. stiff" 是口语中常用的强程度恐惧表达,核心是“恐惧到身体僵硬”的画面感~