terrorise

Everyday

1. To terrorise people is to frighten them very badly, again and again, often by threats or violence. tree →
2. (humour) To terrorise can mean to playfully bother or chase, like a puppy terrorising the cat. tree →

In the lessons

In history and news, gangs, pirates or armies terrorised towns. In anti-bullying lessons, terrorising another child is bullying and must be reported. In stories, a monster or a dragon terrorises a village. Phrases: «terrorise a town», «terrorised by».

Examples

• A dragon terrorised the village in the old tale. tree →
• Pirates terrorised ships along the coast. tree →
• Bullying means terrorising someone again and again — tell a teacher. tree →
• Our new kitten terrorises the dog. tree →
• The wolf terrorised the farm animals. tree →
• The gang terrorised the neighbourhood until the police came. tree →

Note

UK spelling «terrorise», US «terrorize». Related: «terror», «terrorist» (someone who uses violence to frighten people for political aims). The playful sense is only for light jokes.