Meaning
To be scared or startled — 'mi frighten' means 'I'm frightened'. But in Patois 'frighten' also means to be over-excited or too easily impressed by something new or flashy — a 'frighten' person makes a big fuss over little things, showing they aren't used to them.
Examples
-
Di loud bang frighten mi.
The loud bang startled me.
-
Him too frighten fi di likkle money him get.
He's making too big a fuss over the little money he got.
-
Nuh get frighten ova every new ting.
Don't get overexcited over every new thing.
Origin
From English 'frighten'; the 'over-excited/too-impressed' sense is a distinctly Jamaican extension.
How it’s used
Two senses: scared/startled, and over-excited/too easily impressed (showing inexperience). Compare 'dry-land tourist'.