scared stiff
worried stiff

"He was scared stiff of many things before; now his confidence has grown enormously."

Maybe the only real difference between him and them was that he was a little less scared stiff by life.

Still, most of those people are scared stiff of authority.

Because they are scared stiff of the S-word, that's why.

Now he's scared stiff for fear of losing his job.

Although now Ida is scared stiff of the place.

All the generals were scared stiff of him, but I just turned my back on him.

What sort of an education can you get from a professor who's scared stiff of losing his job?

It's as clear as daylight that you're scared stiff of something.

"The Minister's cat is scared stiff of that place," he said frankly.