I. ˈfi(ə)r, -iə noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English fer, fere, from Old English fǣr sudden danger, disaster; akin to Old High German fāra ambush, danger, Old Norse fār harm, misfortune, Gothic ferja spy, Latin periculum attempt, peril, Greek peiran to attempt, Old English faran to go — more at fare
1.
a. : an unpleasant emotional state characterized by anticipation of pain or great distress and accompanied by heightened autonomic activity especially involving the nervous system : agitated foreboding often of some real or specific peril — compare anxiety
b. : an instance or manifestation of this feeling
they have created fear of the free mind — John Mason Brown
c. : calm recognition or consideration of whatever may injure or damage : reasoned caution : intelligent foresight
2.
a. : the state or habit of feeling agitation or dismay : a condition between anxiety and terror either natural and well-grounded or unreasoned and blind
anesthetics have removed the fear of physical pain — H.W.VanLoon
the only thing we have to fear is fear itself — F.D.Roosevelt
living in fear
b. : anxious concern : solicitude
a fear that the boy will not make out well in his examination
3. : profound reverence and awe
the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom — Ps 111:10 (Revised Standard Version)
godliness and holy fear
4. : something that is the object of apprehension or alarm : a ground for fear : danger
starvation is still a real fear in the minds of many peoples of the world
Synonyms:
dread , fright , alarm , dismay , consternation , panic , terror , horror , trepidation : with the possible modified exception of dismay and consternation , these nouns in one sense which they have in common signify the agitation aroused by anticipation of danger or the actual awareness of a present danger. fear , the most general of the terms, implies apprehension and anxiety and sometimes a loss of courage amounting to cowardice
the human fear of death — Douglas Stewart
a fear of failure
the fear of the unknown
tremble and grovel with fear
dread is similar to fear but usually adds the idea of extreme fear-inspired reluctance to face or meet a particular dreaded person or situation
we face the threat — not with dread and confusion — but with confidence and conviction — D.D.Eisenhower
though she was without definite fear, an obscure dread was beating against the wall of her consciousness — Ellen Glasgow
fright implies the shock of sudden, startling, and short-lived fear
a face to inspire fright
the sound produces a kind of horror that is something more than mere fright — Ernie Pyle
disquietude had developed into fright; fright quickly developed into terror — Emile Gaboriau
alarm suggests intense, usually sudden, apprehension
instantly the alarm began in her nerves; she felt the warning quiver dart through them like the vibration in a wire — Ellen Glasgow
with an astonishment bordering on alarm — Jane Austen
dismay , of these words the least generally associated with the idea of fear, usually implies a sudden discouragement or loss of courage or initiative, generally accompanied by a certain mental confusion usually induced by an unexpected turn of events
view a difficult task with dismay
when the child told her first lie her foster-mother was nearly sick with dismay and anxiety — Margaret Deland
he is flung neck and crop into a world which he does not comprehend, and his dismay is hysterical — John Buchan
consternation implies fear only incidentally, stressing rather the idea of a temporary confusion or paralysis of faculties induced by something startlingly contrary to expectation or hope or something shocking
he looked down on her with stirrings of tender pride which altered to consternation as slow tears came stealing down the nearest cheek — Mary Austin
the more adventurous drivers enjoyed timing the trip down to the last second so that they could race the tide to safety, much to the consternation of their passengers — American Guide Series: California
panic is overmastering and unreasoning fear or fright usually as manifesting itself in hysterical activity
thrown into a panic by the threat of raids by pirates — American Guide Series: Michigan
all the possible phases of that sort of anguish, beginning with instinctive panic, through the bewildered stage, the frozen stage, and the stage of blanched apprehension, down to the instinctive prudence of extreme terror — Joseph Conrad
terror is extreme violent fear or dread, such as might conduce to panic
his appeal was to fear, and he so impressed his hearers that frequently they fell to the floor or shrieked in terror — H.E.Starr
in terror, the wild horse seems to lose possession of his senses and plunges ahead regardless of obstacles — American Guide Series: Arizona
horror throws emphasis upon the idea of strong abhorrence or shuddering revulsion induced or accompanied by fear
such a horror of his cruelty, duplicity, and power, that I could scarce conceal a shudder — R.L.Stevenson
he saw, to his horror, that the three pairs of legs continued to parade but there seemed to be no bodies above them — American Guide Series: Rhode Island
trepidation carries the idea of a trembling fear, born of timidity
they went in trepidation, almost afraid that the delight of exploring this ruin might be denied them — D.H.Lawrence
I should very shortly perish of trepidation and suspense in so sinister an environment — Elinor Wylie
•
- for fear
- without fear or favor
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English feren, from Old English fǣran, from fǣr sudden danger — more at fear I
transitive verb
1. now dialect
a. : frighten , terrify
be careful not to fear the horse by shouting
b. : to scare away
fear the crows out of the corn
2. obsolete : deter
3. archaic : to feel fear in (oneself)
I fear me he is slain — Christopher Marlowe
4.
a. : to have a reverential awe of
fear God
b. : to stand in awe of
fear anyone in authority
5.
a. : to be afraid of : consider, expect, or anticipate with feelings of alarm, foreboding, or solicitude
most men fear death
fear the unexpected and unknown
fear evil and misfortune
b. : to hesitate (to do something) for fear of doing wrong or causing unhappiness
fear to disturb someone's thoughts
c. : to suspect or conclude regretfully
I fear I have made too many mistakes
intransitive verb
: to be apprehensive : be afraid
I fear lest we commit an inexcusable blunder
if the night seems cold, you need not fear if the house is well heated
• fear·er noun