Scared silly American phrase slang
To be terribly terrified.
Not gonna lie, we were scared silly when you came out of nowhere.
Dude, knock it off! Haven't you scared me silly the last time wasn't enough?
To shake a lot due to the cold or fear
Being so scared, confused, and astonished that you can't think or do anything.
Feel extremely scared or frightened
Used to describe someone who is cowardly
The first version of this hyperbolic expression appears to have been "to be scared or frightened out of one's wits," which appeared in print in 1697:
“Distracted and frighted out of his wits” (Bishop Simon Patrick, Commentary).
Later it was replaced by "scared silly" with the same meaning.