Askeered
In Southern and Appalachian speech, "Askeered" means scared or afraid - a long-standing regional pronunciation of "scared."
#SouthernWords #Appalachia #PeopleandRelationships #Southern
Hillbilly Dude Says...
Most of the time I've heard 'askeered,' somebody's being a little silly. But you'll hear it down here. Pronunciation
[uh-SKEERD] /əˈskɪrd/
Meaning & Usage
- Afraid or scared (adjective)
Mae:
You going down in that cellar?
You going down in that cellar?
Earl:
No ma’am - I’m askeered of spiders.
No ma’am - I’m askeered of spiders.variations: Skeered, Scared, Afraid, Feared (archaic regional form)
★ "Askeered" and "skeered" are regional pronunciations of "scared" or "afraid." The initial "a" reflects older English patterns where "a-" marked adjectives and participles (like "a-hunting," "a-coming"). ★
Origin
From older English dialect forms blending "a-" + "scared," common in Scots-Irish and rural British speech. This form persisted in Appalachia and the rural South as "askeered" or "skeered."
Notes
Still heard in rural Southern/Appalachian speech. Outside the region it’s recognized as a folksy or humorous pronunciation but instantly understood as "scared."
Say It Like a Southerner
Say it natural: "askeered" - often runs together as "’skeered" or just "skeered," especially in rural speech.