Bore, scare, etc. the pants off somebody
verb phrase
To greatly terrify or bore someone.
The ghost story scared the pants off her. The lecture was so dull, it bored the pants off me.

Often appears as...
- scare the pants off somebody
- bore the pants off somebody
Usage tips
Colloquial
verb phrase
To greatly terrify or bore someone.
The ghost story scared the pants off her. The lecture was so dull, it bored the pants off me.

Often appears as...
- scare the pants off somebody
- bore the pants off somebody
Usage tips
Colloquial
Definition 1 of 1

Colloquial
Used in casual conversation, not in formal situations like business meetings or academic papers.

His pranks are legendary; they scare the pants off everyone.
Hyperbole
It's an exaggerated expression, not meant to be taken literally. Nobody's pants are actually removed.

You jump so high! You could scare the pants off an NBA player!
Figurative
Illustrates an extreme effect, either frightening someone a lot or making something unbearably dull.

That haunted house will scare the pants off you!
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