frighten so or an animal into sth meaning

[American slang]
1. and frighten someone or an animal in† to scare someone or an animal into entering something or some place.
  The trouble in the neighborhood frightened most of the residents into their houses.
  The mouse was out of its hole, but we came in and frightened the little mouse back in.
2. to scare someone or an animal into a particular state.
  They frightened me into a quivering mass.
  The mouse was frightened into a state of confusion.

• frighten so or an animal into doing sth:    [American slang]to ...
• frighten so or an animal in:    [American slang]Go ...
• frighten so or an animal to death:    [American slang]1. ...