
Frighten/scare the life out of somebody
Intensity
Used for situations of extreme fear, not just mild surprise.

The horror movie scared the life out of me.
Figurative
It's an expression, meaning no one actually loses their life from fear.

You jumping out at me scared the life out of me!
Informal
Common in casual speech but not suitable for formal situations.

She scared the life out of me, sneaking up like that!
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