Idiom: To Scare The Pants Off Someone
Context #1:
Tammy: Last night my neighbor jumped out from behind a bush wearing a zombie mask. He was only joking but it really scared the pants off me!
Sara: Did you scream?
Tammy: Yeah, I screamed! It was so embarrassing!
Context #2:
Tim: This week for Halloween a bunch of us are going to visit a haunted house at the community college. Do you want to go?
Chris: No thanks! When I was a kid my parents took me to a haunted house and I got the pants scared off me. I guess I was a little traumatized.
Tim: I see. Well, let me know if you change your mind.
Meaning: To scare the pants off someone means to make them feel extremely afraid or frightened. @LSISB @LSIOC @LSINE @LSILA
www.languagesystems.edu