adread

A1D2R1E1A1D2
/əˈdɹɛd/

verb

To dread, fear greatly.

OriginMiddle English adreden ← Old English ādrǣdan ← Proto-West Germanic *andrādan →
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Meanings

adread1

verbadread (third-person singular simple present adreads, present participle adreading, simple past and past participle adreaded)

present singular third person adreads · participle present adreading · participle past adreaded · past adreaded

  1. obsoletetransitiveTo dread, fear greatly.
  2. intransitiveobsoletereflexiveTo fear, be afraid.

adread2

adjective
  1. archaicAffected by or full of dread; fearful.

Origin

adread · verb

  1. Proto-West Germanic*andrādan
  2. Old Englishondrǣdan
  3. Old Englishādrǣdan
  4. Middle Englishadreden
  5. Englishadread

From Middle English adreden, from late Old English ādrǣdan, from earlier Old English ondrǣdan, from Proto-West Germanic *andrādan.

More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic

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adread · adjective

  1. Old Englishondrǣdan
  2. Middle Englishadreden
  3. Middle Englishadred
  4. Englishadread

From Middle English adred, adrad, past participle of Middle English adreden, from Old English ondrǣdan, equivalent to a- + dread. Compare also Middle English ofdradd (“afraid”), Old English ofdrǣdd (“terrified, afraid”).

More words from Middle English, Old English

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Cite this entry
APA

adread. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/adread

MLA

“adread.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/adread. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “adread,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/adread.

Source: adread on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.