scare up

Figurative sense US from 1846.

scare up (third-person singular simple present scares up, present participle scaring up, simple past and past participle scared up)

1. To frighten (an animal, especially a game animal) into appearing from cover.
   • 1881, Henry David Thoreau, Early Spring in Massachusetts:

     Soon after, we scare up a flock of black ducks.

   • 1913, Jack London, The Cruise of the "Snark", published 2008, unnumbered page:

     They ranged along abreast of the Snark on either side, pouncing upon the flying-fish her forefoot scared up.

   • 2004, William Barksdale Maynard, Walden Pond, page 105:

     In September, Henry walked Emerson's frequent route, Hosmer's-Goose Pond-Walden, and viewed the pond from the hill on the north side with the sawed pine stump atop, scaring up black ducks.

   Synonyms: flush, flush out

2. (figuratively) To find or procure while relying on chance to provide the means, especially something not easily found or procured.
   • 1881, William Dean Howells, A Modern Instance, page 185:

     “By the way,” said his friend, “let’s go over into Leopoldstadt, and see if we can’t scare up a sleigh for a little turn in the suburbs.”

   • 1990, Miller's Crossing, 01:25:07

     "Scare me up some gargle, will you?"

   • 2003, Stephanie Stein Crease, Gil Evans: Out of the Cool: His Life and Music, page 6:

     Gil also scared up other part-time jobs while in high school—delivering gas canisters and playing solo piano at tea time at the elegant Hotel Stockton.

   • 2004, Michael Streissguth, Voices of the Country: Interviews With Classic Country Performers, page 80:

     Now, whenever he's in Nashville scaring up clients and I'm there scaring up stories, we hit the hillbilly circuit.

   • 2005, Stephen J. Cannell, Cold Hit, page 367:

     “With the current budget crunch and the Fingertip case inactive, I couldn’t scare up much enthusiasm.”

• apercus, aperçus, earcups, scauper