AFRAID


Meaning of AFRAID in English

transcription, транскрипция: [ əfreɪd ]

Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.

1.

If you are afraid of someone or afraid to do something, you are frightened because you think that something very unpleasant is going to happen to you.

She did not seem at all afraid...

I was afraid of the other boys...

I’m still afraid to sleep in my own bedroom.

= frightened

ADJ : v-link ADJ , oft ADJ of n , ADJ to-inf

2.

If you are afraid for someone else, you are worried that something horrible is going to happen to them.

She’s afraid for her family in Somalia.

ADJ : v-link ADJ , usu ADJ for n

3.

If you are afraid that something unpleasant will happen, you are worried that it may happen and you want to avoid it.

I was afraid that nobody would believe me...

The Government is afraid of losing the election...

ADJ : v-link ADJ , ADJ that , ADJ of -ing , ADJ to-inf

4.

If you want to apologize to someone or to disagree with them in a polite way, you can say I’m afraid . ( SPOKEN )

We don’t have anything like that, I’m afraid...

I’m afraid I can’t help you...

PHRASE : PHR with cl , PHR that [ politeness ]

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Английский словарь Коллинз COBUILD для изучающих язык на продвинутом уровне.