Etymology

dare

D2A1R1E1

Today it means: To have enough courage (to do something). Full definition →

First used 16th c.Middle English durren ← Old English durran ← Proto-West Germanic *durʀan
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dare · verb, noun1

  1. Proto-Indo-European · inherited from*dʰedʰórse“to dare”
  2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*durzaną“to dare”
  3. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*durʀan
  4. Old English · inherited fromdurran
  5. Middle English · inherited fromdurren
  6. English todaydare

From Middle English durren, from Old English durran, from Proto-West Germanic *durʀan, from Proto-Germanic *durzaną (“to dare”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰedʰórse (“to dare”), reduplicated stative of the root *dʰers- (“to be bold, to dare”), an *-s- extension of *dʰer- (“to hold, support”). Cognates Cognate with Low German dören, Dutch durven, German thüren, Sanskrit दधर्ष (dadhárṣa), but also with Ancient Greek θρασύς (thrasús), Albanian nder, Lithuanian drįsti, Russian дерза́ть (derzátʹ).

dare · verb2

  1. Old English · inherited fromdarian
  2. Middle English · inherited fromdaren
  3. English todaydare

From Middle English daren, from Old English darian.

Dare · proper noun3

English surname, spelling variant of Dear.

First known use, by meaning

  • 16th c. To stare stupidly or vacantly; to gaze as though amazed or terrified.
  • 16th c. To lie or crouch down in fear.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.