espantar

Senses

1. 1.

   to scare, to frighten

   to cause fear or alarm in someone or something

2. 2.

   to scare away, to drive away

   to make someone or something leave by frightening them

3. 3.

   to surprise, to amaze

   to cause astonishment or shock (often positive)

4. 4.

   to get scared, to be frightened

   reflexive: to become afraid or startled (espantar-se)

Examples

• "O barulho alto espantou o cachorro."

  The loud noise scared the dog.

• "Ela se espantou com o preço da casa."

  She was amazed/shocked by the price of the house.

• "Os pássaros espantam facilmente quando alguém se aproxima."

  The birds scare away easily when someone approaches.

Usage

Common in everyday speech. Often used reflexively as "espantar-se" (to be surprised/scared). The context determines whether it means frightening in a negative sense or surprising in a neutral/positive sense. Common collocations: espantar moscas (to shoo away flies), espantar clientes (to drive away customers).