fear
noun
- basic emotion induced by a perceived threat
verb
- be afraid of
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈfɪə/ / [ˈfɪə̯] / /ˈfɪː/
adj
Etymology: From Middle English fere, feore, from Old English fēre (“able to go, fit for service”), from Proto-Germanic *fēriz (“passable”), from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“to put across, ferry”). Cognate with Scots fere, feir (“well, active, sound”), Middle High German gevüere (“able, capable, fit, serviceable”), Swedish för (“capable, able, stout”), Icelandic fær (“able”). Related to fare.
- Able; capable; stout; strong; sound.
“hale and fear”
name
Etymology: * As an English surname, from an obsolete noun meaning "traveler," represented in the second half of Old English gefera (“comrade, companion”). * Also as an English surname, from the root of the adjective fierce, and occasionally from the noun fear. * Also as an English surname, from the noun ferry. * Occasionally as an English surname of Norman origin, from La Fère in Aisne, possibly from Latin feretrum (“bier”).
- A surname.
noun
Etymology: From Middle English feer, fere, fer (“fear”), from Old English fǣr, ġefǣr (“calamity, sudden danger, peril, sudden attack, terrible sight”), from Proto-Germanic *fērō, *fērą (“danger”), from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“to go through, carry forth, try”). Cognate with Dutch gevaar (“danger, risk, peril”), German Gefahr (“danger, hazard, risk”), Danish fare (“danger, hazard, risk”), Faroese and Icelandic fár (“accident, anger, calamity”), Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk fare (“danger”), Swedish fara (“danger, risk, peril”), Latin perīculum (“danger, risk, trial”), Ancient Greek πεῖρα (peîra, “trial, experiment”), Armenian փորձ (pʻorj, “attempt”). Doublet of peril. The verb is from Middle English feren, from Old English fǣran (“to frighten, raven”), from the noun. Cognate with the archaic Dutch verb varen (“to fear, to cause fear”).
- A strong, unpleasant emotion or feeling caused by actual or perceived danger or threat.
“He was struck by fear on seeing the snake.”
“I corralled the judge, and we started off across the fields, in no very mild state of fear of that gentleman's wife, whose vigilance was seldom relaxed.”
- A phobia, a sense of fear induced by something or someone in particular.
“Not everybody has the same fears.”
“I have a fear of ants.”
- Something one is afraid of; the object of one’s fear.
“Spiders are my greatest fear.”
- Terrified veneration or reverence, particularly towards God, gods, or sovereigns.
“The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome.”
“That sacred dread of all offence to him, which is called the Fear of God.”
- A feeling of dread and anxiety when waking after drinking a lot of alcohol, wondering what one did while drunk.
“Her feeling of humiliation had intensified as the day had gone on and her hangover had worsened. She now also had 'the fear' to contend with, […]”
“He had the fear, that feeling of dread that you've done something really embarrassing. The fear was a hundred times worse than the hangover. No, a thousand times worse.”
verb
Etymology: From Middle English feer, fere, fer (“fear”), from Old English fǣr, ġefǣr (“calamity, sudden danger, peril, sudden attack, terrible sight”), from Proto-Germanic *fērō, *fērą (“danger”), from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“to go through, carry forth, try”). Cognate with Dutch gevaar (“danger, risk, peril”), German Gefahr (“danger, hazard, risk”), Danish fare (“danger, hazard, risk”), Faroese and Icelandic fár (“accident, anger, calamity”), Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk fare (“danger”), Swedish fara (“danger, risk, peril”), Latin perīculum (“danger, risk, trial”), Ancient Greek πεῖρα (peîra, “trial, experiment”), Armenian փորձ (pʻorj, “attempt”). Doublet of peril. The verb is from Middle English feren, from Old English fǣran (“to frighten, raven”), from the noun. Cognate with the archaic Dutch verb varen (“to fear, to cause fear”).
- To be afraid of (something or someone); to consider or expect (something or someone) with alarm.
“I fear the worst will happen.”
“I greatly fear my money is not safe.”
- To feel fear.
“Never fear; help is always near.”
“Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
- To worry about, to feel concern for, to be afraid for [with for].
“She fears for her son’s safety.”
- To venerate; to feel awe towards.
“People who fear God can be found in Christian churches.”
- To regret.
“I fear I have bad news for you: your husband has died.”
- To cause fear to; to frighten.
“Thenne the knyghte sayd to syre Gawayn / bynde thy wounde or thy blee chaunge / for thou bybledest al thy hors and thy fayre armes /[…]/ For who someuer is hurte with this blade he shalle neuer be staunched of bledynge / Thenne ansuerd gawayn hit greueth me but lytyl / thy grete wordes shalle not feare me ne lasse my courage”
“Ythrild with deepe disdaine of his proud threat, She shortly thus; Fly they, that need to fly; Wordes fearen babes.”
- To be anxious or solicitous for.
“Fearst thou thy person? thou shalt haue a guard:”
“The sins of the father are to be laid upon the children: therefore, I promise ye, I fear you.”
- To suspect; to doubt.
“Fear you not her courage?”