One dark cold night Quinton was taking a shortcut home. It was very late, and suddenly the cry of an owl pierced the darkness. The noise must have scared the pants off Quinton for he began to run. "I wasn't scared. I was just in a rush to get home," he said. I didn't believe him. When something frightens or scares the pants off us, we are well and truly frightened!

shortcut 捷徑
owl 貓頭鷹
pierce 刺穿
darkness 黑暗
in a rush 匆匆忙忙地

“frighten”和“scare” 都是驚嚇的意思。“frighten/scare the pants off someone” 詼諧地描繪出把某人嚇得魂飛魄散。

①The new roller coaster ride at the amusement park frightened the pants off me.
乘坐公園里那輛新的滑行鐵道車嚇得我魂飛魄散。
②Height scares the pants off some people.
有些人怕高。