scare the pants off
To scare or startle someone thoroughly.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“That loud noise really scared the pants off me.”
“The sudden thunderclap during the movie scared the pants off everyone in the room.”
“The unexpected arrival of the inspector at the office scared the pants off the employees who had been cutting corners all week.”
- 01
ants in one's pants
The condition of being agitated and constantly fidgeting.
- 02
beat the pants off
To thoroughly and decisively defeat someone, either in a physical fight or, figuratively, in a competition.
- 03
caught with one's pants down
Caught off guard, unprepared, or in an embarrassing situation.
- 04
fly by the seat of one's pants
To pilot an aircraft without the aid of instruments and without a flight plan, using only instinct, visual observation, and practical judgment.
- 05
get into someone's pants
To have sex with someone, especially for the first time.
- 06
keep one's pants on
To stay calm.
- 07
lick the pants off
To thoroughly and decisively defeat someone, either in a physical fight or, figuratively, in a competition.
- 08
pee in one's pants
To laugh uncontrollably.
Last updated August 10, 2026