Fear , v. i. To be in apprehension of evil; to be afraid; to feel anxiety on account of
some expected evil.
I exceedingly fear and quake.
Heb.
xii. 21.
Fear , v. t. [imp. & p. p. Feared (?);
p. pr. & vb. n.
Fearing.]
[OE. feren, faeren, to frighten, to be afraid,
AS. f&?;ran to terrify. See Fear, n.]
1. To feel
a painful apprehension of; to be afraid
of; to consider or expect with emotion of alarm or solicitude.
I will fear no evil, for thou art with
me.
Ps. xxiii. 4. With subordinate clause.
I greatly fear my money is not safe.
Shak. I almost fear to quit your
hand.
D.
Jerrold. 2. To have a reverential awe of; to solicitous to avoid the displeasure of.
Leave them to God above;
him serve and fear.
Milton. 3. To be anxious or
solicitous for. [R.]
The sins of the father
are to be laid upon the
children, therefore .
. . I fear you.
Shak. 4.
To suspect; to doubt. [Obs.]
Ay what else, fear you not her courage?
Shak.
5. To affright; to terrify; to drive away or
prevent approach of by fear. [Obs.]
fear their people from doing evil.
Robynsin (More's utopia). Tush, tush! fear boys with
bugs.
Shak. Syn. --
To apprehend; dread; reverence; venerate.
Fear , n. [OE. fer, feer, fere,
AS. f&?;r
a coming suddenly upon, fear, danger; akin to D. vaar, OHG. fāra danger, G. gefahr, Icel.
fār harm, mischief, plague, and to E. fare, peril. See Fare.]
1. A painful emotion or passion excited by the expectation of evil, or the apprehension of impending danger; apprehension; anxiety;
solicitude; alarm; dread.
&fist; The degrees of this passion, beginning with the most moderate, may be thus expressed, -- apprehension, fear, dread, fright, terror.
Fear is an uneasiness of the mind, upon the thought of future evil likely to befall us.
Locke. Where no hope is left, is left
no fear.
Milton. 2. (Script.) (a)
Apprehension of
incurring, or solicitude to avoid, God's wrath; the trembling and awful reverence felt toward the Supreme Belng. (b) Respectful reverence for men of authority or worth.
I will put my
fear in their hearts.
Jer. xxxii. 40.
I will teach you the
fear of the Lord.
Ps.
xxxiv. 11. render therefore to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due . . . fear to whom fear.
Rom. xiii. 7. 3. That which causes, or which is the object of, apprehension or alarm; source or occasion of terror; danger; dreadfulness.
There were they in great
fear, where no fear was.
Ps. liii. 5.
The fear
of your adventure would counsel you to a more equal enterprise.
Shak. For fear, in apprehension lest. "For fear you ne'er see chain nor money more." Shak.
Fear (?), n. A variant of
Fere, a mate, a companion. [Obs.]
Spenser.
Hear it pronounced