fear
VERB:
1. to regard with fear; be afraid of.
2. to have reverential awe of:
fear God.
3. to consider or anticipate (something unpleasant) with a feeling of dread or alarm:
It's about to snow again, I fear.
4. to have fear; be afraid:
I'll go with you, so do not fear!
5. to feel apprehensive or uneasy (usually followed by for):
In this time of economic instability, I fear for my children's future.
6. to be afraid (to do something) or of (a person or thing); dread.
7. to revere; respect.
8. to be sorry (used to lessen the effect of an unpleasant statement):
I fear that you have not won.
9. to feel anxiety about something.
10. to be afraid of; expect with alarm:
fear the worst.
11. to be afraid or apprehensive:
feared for their lives feared to go out at night.
archaic:
1. frighten.
2. to experience or feel fear in (oneself):
I fear me he will ne'er forgive us.
Examples:
fools rush in where angels fear to tread. // for fear of. // never fear.
Origin:
Before 900; Middle English fere, Old English fær sudden attack or danger; cognate with Old Saxon fār ambush, Dutch gevaar, German Gefahr danger, Old Norse fār disaster.Old English fǣr; related to Old High German fāra, Old Norse fār hostility, Latin perīculum danger. —Dictionary.com. //
First Known Use of fear: Noun: 12th century. Verb: before the 12th century. History and Etymology for fear: Noun: Middle English fer, going back to Old English fǣr, fēr "unexpected danger, peril," going back to Germanic *fēra- or *fēran- (whence also Old Saxon fār "lurking danger," Old High German fāra "ambush, danger," Old Norse fár "evil, mischief, plague"), perhaps going back to a lengthened-grade nominal derivative of a proposed Indo-European verbal base *per- "test, risk" — more at peril entry 1. Verb: Middle English feren "to frighten, be afraid of," going back to Old English fǣran, fēran "to take by surprise, frighten," weak verb derivative (as also Old Saxon fāron "to lurk in wait for, frighten," Old High German fārēn "to lurk in wait for, strive, devise ill against," Old Norse færa "to slight, taunt") of Germanic *fēra- or *fēran- — more at fear entry 1. —Merriam-Webster.
Sources: 1, 2.
1. to regard with fear; be afraid of.
2. to have reverential awe of:
fear God.
3. to consider or anticipate (something unpleasant) with a feeling of dread or alarm:
It's about to snow again, I fear.
4. to have fear; be afraid:
I'll go with you, so do not fear!
5. to feel apprehensive or uneasy (usually followed by for):
In this time of economic instability, I fear for my children's future.
6. to be afraid (to do something) or of (a person or thing); dread.
7. to revere; respect.
8. to be sorry (used to lessen the effect of an unpleasant statement):
I fear that you have not won.
9. to feel anxiety about something.
10. to be afraid of; expect with alarm:
fear the worst.
11. to be afraid or apprehensive:
feared for their lives feared to go out at night.
archaic:
1. frighten.
2. to experience or feel fear in (oneself):
I fear me he will ne'er forgive us.
Examples:
fools rush in where angels fear to tread. // for fear of. // never fear.
Origin:
Before 900; Middle English fere, Old English fær sudden attack or danger; cognate with Old Saxon fār ambush, Dutch gevaar, German Gefahr danger, Old Norse fār disaster.Old English fǣr; related to Old High German fāra, Old Norse fār hostility, Latin perīculum danger. —Dictionary.com. //
First Known Use of fear: Noun: 12th century. Verb: before the 12th century. History and Etymology for fear: Noun: Middle English fer, going back to Old English fǣr, fēr "unexpected danger, peril," going back to Germanic *fēra- or *fēran- (whence also Old Saxon fār "lurking danger," Old High German fāra "ambush, danger," Old Norse fár "evil, mischief, plague"), perhaps going back to a lengthened-grade nominal derivative of a proposed Indo-European verbal base *per- "test, risk" — more at peril entry 1. Verb: Middle English feren "to frighten, be afraid of," going back to Old English fǣran, fēran "to take by surprise, frighten," weak verb derivative (as also Old Saxon fāron "to lurk in wait for, frighten," Old High German fārēn "to lurk in wait for, strive, devise ill against," Old Norse færa "to slight, taunt") of Germanic *fēra- or *fēran- — more at fear entry 1. —Merriam-Webster.
Sources: 1, 2.