Meaning of fear in English

  1. Pronunciation

    /ˈfɪr/

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  1. Verb

    fear

    Definitions

    1. be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event

    Examples

    • « I fear she might get aggressive »
  2. 2. be afraid or scared of

    Examples

    • « be frightened of »
    • « I fear the winters in Moscow »
    • « We should not fear the Communists! »
  3. 3. be sorry

    Examples

    • « used to introduce an unpleasant statement »
    • « I fear I won't make it to your wedding party »
  4. 4. be uneasy or apprehensive about

    Examples

    • « I fear the results of the final exams »
  5. 5. regard with feelings of respect and reverence

    Examples

    • « consider hallowed or exalted or be in awe of »
    • « Fear God as your father »
    • « We venerate genius »

  6. Noun

    fear

    Etymology

    Old English fǣr ‘calamity, danger’, fǣran ‘frighten’, also ‘revere’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch gevaar and German Gefahr‘danger’

    Definitions

    1. an emotion experienced in anticipation of some specific pain or danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight)

    Antonyms

  7. 2. an anxious feeling

    Examples

    • « care had aged him »
    • « they hushed it up out of fear of public reaction »
  8. 3. a profound emotion inspired by a deity

    Examples

    • « the fear of God »