English Explanatory Dictionary

dare

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To have enough courage (to do something).
  2. To defy or challenge (someone to do something).
  3. To have enough courage to meet or do something, go somewhere, etc.; to face up to.
  4. To terrify; to daunt.
  5. To drive larks to the ground by scaring them (for instance, with mirrors or hawks) so they can be caught in nets.
noun
  1. A challenge to prove courage.
  2. The quality of daring; venturesomeness; boldness.
  3. Defiance; challenge.
  4. In the game truth or dare, the choice to perform a dare set by the other players.
verb
  1. To stare stupidly or vacantly; to gaze as though amazed or terrified.
  2. To lie or crouch down in fear.
noun
  1. A small fish, the dace
name
  1. Acronym of Drug Abuse Resistance Education.
  2. Acronym of Dictionary of American Regional English.
name
  1. A surname.

Pronunciation

/dɛə/ /dɛ(ə)ɹ/ En-us-dare.ogg

Word forms

dare dares dast daring dared durst

Etymology

From Middle English durren, from Old English durran, from Proto-West Germanic *durʀan, from Proto-Germanic *durzaną (“to dare”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰedʰórse (“to dare”), reduplicated stative of the root *dʰers- (“to be bold, to dare”), an *-s- extension of *dʰer- (“to hold, support”). Cognates Cognate with Low German dören, Dutch durven, German turren, Sanskrit दधर्ष (dadhárṣa), but also with Ancient Greek θρασύς (thrasús), Albanian nder, Lithuanian drįsti, Russian дерза́ть (derzátʹ).

Related words

D.A.R.E.

Derived words

bedare daredevil daredn't daren't darer daresay dare-say dare say dare-saying daresn't daresome daring dassn't dasn't double dare how dare someone how dare you how very dare you I dare be bound outdare overdare triple dog dare undared double dog dare dairous dareful Dare County
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