其实这是 scare、fear 和 threaten之间的区别
scare 侧重因恐慌显示出担心或焦虑的状态,常用短语是 be scared of ,如:
I'm scared of thedark. I'm a big chicken. 我怕黑,是个十足的胆小鬼。
I think everyone was scared of her. 我想大家都很怕她。
Fear 侧重面临危险或灾祸时显示出的恐惧状态。常用作名词短语 fear of (doing) sth. ,如:
Molly had fought and overcome her fear of flying.莫莉已经努力克服了对飞行的恐惧。
Crime and the fear of crime preoccupy the community. 犯罪和对犯罪的恐惧一直困扰着这个社区。
threaten 侧重预先告知或给出即将到来的危险、灾祸或伤害的迹象,但不与介词 of 搭配使用,常用短语是 threaten sb. with(以…进行威胁)或 be threatened with(受到…威胁)短语。如:
The people fear not death; why threaten them with it. 民不畏死,奈何以死惧之。
I was threatened with a beating if I didn't obey. 如果我不服从, 他扬言要打我。
…的惊吓; …的恐惧; …的威胁