fear

/ˈfir/

Middle English fer, going back to Old English fǣr, fēr "unexpected danger, peril," going back to Germanic *fēra- or *fēran- (whence also Old Saxon fār "lurking danger," Old High German fāra "ambush, danger," Old Norse fár "evil, mischief, plague"), perhaps going back to a lengthened-grade nominal derivative of a proposed Indo-European verbal base *per- "test, risk"

noun

  1. an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger

  2. an instance of this emotion

  3. a state marked by this emotion

fear dread fright alarm panic terror trepidation mean painful agitation in the presence or anticipation of danger. fear is the most general term and implies anxiety and usually loss of courage. dread usually adds the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests aversion as well as anxiety.

verb

  1. to be afraid of : expect with alarm

  2. to have a reverential awe of

  3. frighten

fear the worst

geographical name

  1. cape on the Atlantic at the mouth of the Cape Fear River in southernmost North Carolina