Dread
Pronunciation
- enPR: drĕd, IPA: /drɛd/
- Rhymes: -ɛd
Origin
Middle English dreden, from Old English drÇ£dan ("to fear, caution against"), aphetic form of ÄdrÇ£dan, ondrÇ£dan ("to advise or counsel against"); compare with Dutch ontraden ("to advise or counsel against"), from and- ("against") + rÇ£dan ("to counsel, advise"). Akin to Old High German intrÄtan ("to fear"). More at read.
Full definition of dread
Verb
- (transitive) To fear greatly.
- To anticipate with fear.I'm dreading getting the results of the test, as it could decide my whole life.
- 1877, Anna Sewell, Black Beauty Chapter 22http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Black_Beauty/22Day by day, hole by hole our bearing reins were shortened, and instead of looking forward with pleasure to having my harness put on as I used to do, I began to dread it.
- (intransitive) To be in dread, or great fear.
- Bible, Deuteronomy i. 29Dread not, neither be afraid of them.
Derived terms
Noun
dread
(plural dreads)- Great fear in view of impending evil; fearful apprehension of danger; anticipatory terror.
- Tillotsonthe secret dread of divine displeasure
- Shakespearethe dread of something after death
- Reverential or respectful fear; awe.
- Bible, Genesis ix 2.The fear of you, and the dread of you, shall be upon every beast of the earth.
- ShakespeareHis sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings. - Somebody or something dreaded.
- (obsolete) A person highly revered.
- SpenserUna, his dear dread
- (obsolete) Fury; dreadfulness.
- A Rastafarian.
- (chiefly in the plural) dreadlock
Adjective
dread
- Terrible; greatly feared.
- (archaic) Awe-inspiring; held in fearful awe.