fear

plural fears

1. uncountableA strong, unpleasant emotion or feeling caused by actual or perceived danger or threat.

   He was struck by fear on seeing the snake.

   3 more examples

   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.

   1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter VIII, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC

   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.

   1910, Emerson Hough, chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC

   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.

   1914 November, Louis Joseph Vance, “An Outsider […]”, in Munsey’s Magazine, volume LIII, number II, New York, N.Y.: The Frank A[ndrew] Munsey Company, […], published 1915, →OCLC, chapter III (Accessory After the Fact), page 382, column 1

2. countableA phobia, a sense of fear induced by something or someone in particular.

   I have a fear of ants.

   1 more example

   Not everybody has the same fears.

3. countableSomething one is afraid of; the object of one’s fear.

   Spiders are my greatest fear.

4. uncountableTerrified veneration or reverence, particularly towards God, gods, or sovereigns.

   The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalm CXI:10

   1 more example

   That sacred dread of all offence to him, which is called the Fear of God.

   1846, [John Ruskin], Modern Painters […], volume II, London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], →OCLC, part III (Of Ideas of Beauty), section I (Of the Theoretic Faculty), page 121

   Synonyms: dread

5. UKcountableuncountablewith definite article"the fear"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, […]

   2019, Ruth Kelly, The Little Vineyard in Provence

   1 more example

   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.

   2020, Mark Ratcliffe, The Step Down: A Very Scottish Crime

   Synonyms: hangxiety

present singular third person fears · participle present fearing · participle past feared · past feared

1. transitiveTo be afraid of (something or someone); to consider or expect (something or someone) with alarm.

   I fear the worst will happen.

   4 more examples

   I greatly fear my money is not safe.

   c. 1594 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Comedie of Errors”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]

   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.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 10:28

   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.

   1892, Walter Besant, chapter II, in The Ivory Gate […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC

   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.

   2013 July 19, Mark Tran, “Denied an education by war”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 6, page 1

2. intransitiveTo feel fear.

   Never fear; help is always near.

   1 more example

   Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 12:32

   Synonyms: be afraid of, be frightened of, be scared of, be terrorise, terrorize

3. intransitiveTo worry about, to feel concern for, to be afraid for [with for].

   She fears for her son’s safety.

4. transitiveTo venerate; to feel awe towards.

   People who fear God can be found in Christian churches.

   Synonyms: be in awe of, revere, venerate

5. transitiveTo regret.

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

6. obsoletetransitiveTo cause fear to; to frighten.

   Tush, tush! fear boys with bugs.

   c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]

   3 more examples

   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

   1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter X, in Le Morte Darthur, book V

   Ythrild with deepe disdaine of his proud threat, She shortly thus; Fly they, that need to fly; Wordes fearen babes.

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto IV”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, page 448

   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.

   c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]

7. obsoletetransitiveTo be anxious or solicitous for.

   Fearst thou thy person? thou shalt haue a guard:

   1594, Christopher Marlow[e], The Troublesome Raigne and Lamentable Death of Edward the Second, King of England: […], London: […] [Eliot’s Court Press] for Henry Bell, […], published 1622, →OCLC, (please specify the page)

   1 more example

   The sins of the father are to be laid upon the children: therefore, I promise ye, I fear you.

   c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene v]

8. obsoletetransitiveTo suspect; to doubt.

   Fear you not her courage?

   1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv]

comparative more fear · superlative most fear · alternative feer

1. dialectalAble; capable; stout; strong; sound.

   hale and fear

plural Fears

1. A surname.