[dare] vb dared ; dar.ing ; dares or (auxiliary) dare [ME dar (1st & 3d sing. pres. indic.), fr. OE dear; akin to OHG gitar (1st & 3d sing. pres. indic.) dare, Gk tharsos courage] verbal auxiliary (bef. 12c): to be sufficiently courageous to "no one dared say a word" "she ~ not let herself love --G. B. Shaw" ~ vi: to have sufficient courage "try it if you ~" ~ vt 1 a: to challenge to perform an action esp. as a proof of courage "dared him to jump" b: to confront boldly: defy "dared the anger of his family"
2: to have the courage to contend against, venture, or try "the actress dared a new interpretation of this classic role" -- dar.er n
[2]dare n (1594) 1: an act or instance of daring: challenge "foolishly took a ~"
2: imaginative or vivacious boldness: daring