fear

noun

1. (uncountable)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.”

   “Serene, smiling, enigmatic, she faced him with no fear whatever showing in her dark eyes. The clear light of the bright autumn morning had no terrors for youth and health like hers.”

   “Turning back, then, toward the basement staircase, she began to grope her way through blinding darkness, but had taken only a few uncertain steps when, of a sudden, she stopped short and for a little stood like a stricken thing, quite motionless save that she quaked to her very marrow in the grasp of a great and enervating fear.”

2. (countable)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.”

3. (countable)Something one is afraid of; the object of one’s fear.

   “Spiders are my greatest fear.”

4. (uncountable)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.”

5. (UK, countable, uncountable, with-definite-article)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

1. (transitive)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.”

   “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

   “At twilight in the summer there is never anybody to fear—man, woman, or cat—in the chambers and at that hour the mice come out. They do not eat parchment or foolscap or red tape, but they eat the luncheon crumbs.”

   “One particularly damaging, but often ignored, effect of conflict on education is the proliferation of attacks on schools[…]as children, teachers or school buildings become the targets of attacks. Parents fear sending their children to school. Girls are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence.”

2. (intransitive)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.”

3. (intransitive)To worry about, to feel concern for, to be afraid for [with for].

   “She fears for her son’s safety.”

4. (transitive)To venerate; to feel awe towards.

   “People who fear God can be found in Christian churches.”

5. (transitive)To regret.

   “I fear I have bad news for you: your husband has died.”

6. (obsolete, transitive)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.”

   “Tush, tush! fear boys with bugs.”

   “We must not make a scarecrow of the law, Setting it up to fear the birds of prey, And let it keep one shape, till custom make it Their perch and not their terror.”

7. (obsolete, transitive)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.”

8. (obsolete, transitive)To suspect; to doubt.

   “Fear you not her courage?”

adj

1. (dialectal)Able; capable; stout; strong; sound.

   “hale and fear”

name

1. A surname.