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Word Study
Fear
CIDE DICTIONARY
Fear, n.
A variant of Fere, a mate, a companion. Spenser. [1913 Webster]
Fear, n. [OE. fer, feer, fere, AS. f a coming suddenly upon, fear, danger; akin to D. vaar, OHG. fāra danger, G. gefahr, Icel. fār harm, mischief, plague, and to E. fare, peril. See Fare.].
- A painful emotion or passion excited by the expectation of evil, or the apprehension of impending danger; apprehension; anxiety; solicitude; alarm; dread. [1913 Webster]" The degrees of this passion, beginning with the most moderate, may be thus expressed, --
apprehension ,fear ,dread ,fright ,terror ." [1913 Webster]"Fear is an uneasiness of the mind, upon the thought of future evil likely to befall us." [1913 Webster]"Where no hope is left, is left no fear." [1913 Webster] - Apprehension of incurring, or solicitude to avoid, God's wrath; the trembling and awful reverence felt toward the Supreme Being. [1913 Webster]"I will put my fear in their hearts." [1913 Webster]"I will teach you the fear of the Lord." [1913 Webster]"Render therefore to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due . . . fear to whom fear." [1913 Webster]
- That which causes, or which is the object of, apprehension or alarm; source or occasion of terror; danger; dreadfulness. [1913 Webster]"There were they in great fear, where no fear was." [1913 Webster]"The fear of your adventure would counsel you to a more equal enterprise." [1913 Webster]
Fear, v. t. [OE. feren, faeren, to frighten, to be afraid, AS. f to terrify. See Fear, n. ].
- To feel a painful apprehension of; to be afraid of; to consider or expect with emotion of alarm or solicitude. [1913 Webster]"With subordinate clause.
I greatly
fear my money is not safe.Shak.
I almost
fear to quit your hand.D. Jerrold. "I will fear no evil, for thou art with me." [1913 Webster] - To have a reverential awe of; to be solicitous to avoid the displeasure of. [1913 Webster]"Leave them to God above; him serve and fear." [1913 Webster]
- To be anxious or solicitous for; now replaced by
fear for . [1913 Webster]"The sins of the father are to be laid upon the children, therefore . . . I fear you." [1913 Webster] - To suspect; to doubt. [1913 Webster]"Ay what else, fear you not her courage?" [1913 Webster]
- To affright; to terrify; to drive away or prevent approach of by fear. [1913 Webster]"Fear their people from doing evil." [1913 Webster]"Tush, tush! fear boys with bugs."
Syn. -- To apprehend; dread; reverence; venerate.
Fear, v. i.
To be in apprehension of evil; to be afraid; to feel anxiety on account of some expected evil. [1913 Webster]
"I exceedingly fear and quake." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
Fear, n. & v.
--n.
1 a an unpleasant emotion caused by exposure to danger, expectation of pain, etc. b a state of alarm (be in fear).
2 a cause of fear (all fears removed).
3 (often foll. by of) dread or fearful respect (towards) (had a fear of heights).
4 anxiety for the safety of (in fear of their lives).
5 danger; likelihood (of something unwelcome) (there is little fear of failure).
--v.
1 a tr. feel fear about or towards (a person or thing). b intr. feel fear.
2 intr. (foll. by for) feel anxiety or apprehension about (feared for my life).
3 tr. apprehend; have uneasy expectation of (fear the worst).
4 tr. (usu. foll. by that + clause) apprehend with fear or regret (I fear that you are wrong).
5 tr. a (foll. by to + infin.) hesitate. b (foll. by verbal noun) shrink from; be apprehensive about (he feared meeting his ex-wife).
6 tr. show reverence towards.
--n.
1 a an unpleasant emotion caused by exposure to danger, expectation of pain, etc. b a state of alarm (be in fear).
2 a cause of fear (all fears removed).
3 (often foll. by of) dread or fearful respect (towards) (had a fear of heights).
4 anxiety for the safety of (in fear of their lives).
5 danger; likelihood (of something unwelcome) (there is little fear of failure).
--v.
1 a tr. feel fear about or towards (a person or thing). b intr. feel fear.
2 intr. (foll. by for) feel anxiety or apprehension about (feared for my life).
3 tr. apprehend; have uneasy expectation of (fear the worst).
4 tr. (usu. foll. by that + clause) apprehend with fear or regret (I fear that you are wrong).
5 tr. a (foll. by to + infin.) hesitate. b (foll. by verbal noun) shrink from; be apprehensive about (he feared meeting his ex-wife).
6 tr. show reverence towards.
Idiom
for fear of (or that) to avoid the risk of (or that). never fear there is no danger of that. no fear colloq. expressing strong denial or refusal. without fear or favour impartially.
Etymology
OE f. Gmc
THESAURUS
Fear
abulia, agitation, alarm, all-overs, angst, anticipate, anxiety, anxiety hysteria, anxiety neurosis, anxious bench, anxious concern, anxious seat, anxiousness, apprehend, apprehension, apprehensiveness, attack of nerves, awe, back down, balance, be afraid, bete noire, bogey, bogy, buck fever, bugbear, cankerworm of care, care, case of nerves, chicken-liveredness, chickenheartedness, cold feet, cold sweat, concern, concernment, consternation, cowardice, cowardliness, cravenness, debate, deliberate, demur, diffidence, discomposure, dismay, disquiet, disquietude, distress, disturbance, dread, esteem, excessive irritability, expect, eye askance, faintheart, faintheartedness, faintness, falter, fearfulness, feeblemindedness, feebleness, fidgetiness, fidgets, foreboding, forebodingness, forebodings, foresee, frailty, fright, funk, hang back, have qualms, hem and haw, henheartedness, hesitate, hesitation, horror, hover, hum and haw, imagine, infirmity, inquietude, jib, lily-liveredness, malaise, milksopism, milksoppiness, milksoppishness, misgive, misgiving, morbid excitability, nerves, nervosity, nervous stomach, nervous strain, nervous tension, nervousness, nightmare, overanxiety, panic, panickiness, pause, perturbation, phobia, pigeonheartedness, pins and needles, pliability, ponder, presentiment, pucker, pull back, qualms, quiver, respect, retreat, revere, reverence, scare, scruple, second thoughts, shilly-shally, shrink from, shudder at, shy, sit upon thorns, softness, solicitude, spell of nerves, spinelessness, stage fright, stand aghast, state of nerves, stew, stick at, stickle, stop to consider, straddle the fence, strain, strain at, suspect, suspense, tension, terror, think twice about, tic, timidity, timidness, timorousness, trepidation, trepidity, trouble, twitching, unease, uneasiness, unmanfulness, unmanliness, unquietness, upset, vellication, venerate, veneration, vexation, weak will, weak-mindedness, weakheartedness, weakness, withdraw, worry, yellowness, yield, zealROGET THESAURUS
Fear
Discontent
N discontent, discontentment, dissatisfaction, dissent, disappointment, mortification, cold comfort, regret, repining, taking on, heart-burning, heart-grief, querulousness, hypercriticism, inquietude, vexation of spirit, soreness, worry, concern, fear, malcontent, grumbler, growler, croaker, dissident, dissenter, laudator temporis acti, censurer, complainer, fault-finder, murmerer, cave of Adullam, indignation meeting, winter of our discontent, with what I most enjoy contented least, discontented, dissatisfied, unsatisfied, ungratified, dissident, dissentient, malcontent, malcontented, exigent, exacting, hypercritical, repining, regretful, down in the mouth, in high dudgeon, in a fume, in the sulks, in the dumps, in bad humor, glum, sulky, sour as a crab, soured, sore, out of humor, out of temper, disappointing, unsatisfactory, frustrated (failure), Int, so much the worse!, that won't do, that will never do, it will never do, curtae nescio quid semper abest rei, ne Jupiter Quidem omnibus placet, poor in abundance, famished at a feast.Fear
N fear, timidity, diffidence, want of confidence, apprehensiveness, fearfulness, solicitude, anxiety, care, apprehension, misgiving, feeze, mistrust, suspicion, qualm, hesitation, nervousness, restlessness, inquietude, disquietude, worry, concern, batophobia, heartquake, flutter, trepidation, fear and trembling, perturbation, tremor, quivering, shaking, trembling, throbbing heart, palpitation, ague fit, cold sweat, abject fear, mortal funk, heartsinking, despondency, despair, fright, affright, affrightment, boof alarm, dread, awe, terror, horror, dismay, consternation, panic, scare, stampede (of horses), intimidation, terrorism, reign of terror, bug bear, bugaboo, scarecrow, hobgoblin, nightmare, Gorgon, mormo, ogre, Hurlothrumbo, raw head and bloody bones, fee-faw-fum, bete noire, enfant terrible, alarmist, fearing, frightened, in fear, in a fright, haunted with the fear of, afeard, afraid, fearful, timid, timorous, nervous, diffident, coy, faint- hearted, tremulous, shaky, afraid of one's shadow, apprehensive, restless, fidgety, more frightened than hurt, aghast, awe-stricken, horror-stricken, terror-stricken, panic- stricken, awestruck, awe-stricken, horror-struck, frightened to death, white as a sheet, pale, pale as a ghost, pale as death, pale as ashes, breathless, in hysterics, inspiring fear, alarming, formidable, redoubtable, perilous, portentous, fearful, dread, dreadful, fell, dire, direful, shocking, terrible, terrific, tremendous, horrid, horrible, horrific, ghastly, awful, awe-inspiring, revolting, Gorgonian, in terrorem, Int, angels and ministers of grace defend us!, ante tubam trepidat, horresco referens, one's heart failing one, obstupui steteruntque comae et vox faucibus haesit, a dagger of the mind, expertus metuit, fain would I climb but that I fear to fall, fear is the parent of cruelty, Gorgons and hydras and chimeras dire, omnia tuta timens, our fears do make us traitors.VB fear, stand in awe of, be afraid, have qualms, apprehend, sit upon thorns, eye askance, distrust, hesitate, falter, funk, cower, crouch, skulk, let 'I dare not' wait upon 'I would' take fright, take alarm, start, wince, flinch, shy, shrink, fly, tremble, shake, shiver, shiver in one's shoes, shudder, flutter, shake like an aspen leaf, tremble like an aspen leaf, tremble all over, quake, quaver, quiver, quail, grow pale, turn pale, blench, stand aghast, not dare to say one's soul is one's own, inspire fear, excite fear, inspire awe, excite awe, raise apprehensions, be in a daze, bulldoze, faze, feeze, give an alarm, raise an alarm, sound an alarm, alarm, startle, scare, cry 'wolf', disquiet, dismay, fright, frighten, terrify, astound, fright from one's propriety, fright out of one's senses, fright out of one's wits, fright out of one's seven senses, awe, strike all of a heap, strike an awe into, strike terror, harrow up the soul, appall, unman, petrify, horrify, pile on the agony, make one's flesh creep, make one's hair stand on end, make one's blood run cold, make one's teeth chatter, take away one's breath, stop one's breath, make one tremble, haunt, prey on the mind, weigh on the mind, put in fear, put in bodily fear, terrorize, intimidate, cow, daunt, overawe, abash, deter, discourage, browbeat, bully, threaten.
Cowardice
N cowardice, pusillanimity, cowardliness, timidity, effeminacy, poltroonery, baseness, dastardness, dastardy, abject fear, funk, Dutch courage, fear, white feather, faint heart, cold feet, yellow streak, coward, poltroon, dastard, sneak, recreant, shy cock, dunghill cock, coistril, milksop, white liver, lily liver, nidget, one that cannot say 'boo' to a goose, slink, Bob Acres, Jerry Sneak, alarmist, terrorist, pessimist, runagate, coward, cowardly, fearful, shy, timid, timorous, skittish, poor- spirited, spiritless, soft, effeminate, weak-minded, infirm of purpose, weak-hearted, fainthearted, chickenhearted, henhearted, lilyhearted, pigeon-hearted, white- livered, lily-livered, milk-livered, milksop, smock-faced, unable to say 'boo' to a goose, dastard, dastardly, base, craven, sneaking, dunghill, recreant, unwarlike, unsoldier-like, in face a lion but in heart a deer, unmanned, frightened, Int, sauve qui peut!, every man for himself!, devil take the hindmost!, ante tubam trepidat, one's courage oozing out, degeneres animos timor arguit.Also see definition of "Fear" in Bible Study Dictionaries
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