[syn: awful, dire, direful, dread(a), dreaded, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, frightening, horrendous, horrific, terrible]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Dread \Dread\ (dr[e^]d), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dreaded; p. pr. &
vb. n. Dreading.] [AS. dr[=ae]dan, in comp.; akin to OS.
dr[=a]dan, OHG. tr[=a]tan, both only in comp.]
To fear in a great degree; to regard, or look forward to,
with terrific apprehension.
[1913 Webster]
When at length the moment dreaded through so many years
came close, the dark cloud passed away from Johnson's
mind. --Macaulay.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Dread \Dread\, a.
1. Exciting great fear or apprehension; causing terror;
frightful; dreadful.
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A dread eternity! how surely mine. --Young.
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2. Inspiring with reverential fear; awful' venerable; as,
dread sovereign; dread majesty; dread tribunal.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Dread \Dread\, v. i.
To be in dread, or great fear.
[1913 Webster]
Dread not, neither be afraid of them. --Deut. i. 29.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Dread \Dread\, n.
1. Great fear in view of impending evil; fearful apprehension
of danger; anticipatory terror.
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The secret dread of divine displeasure. --Tillotson.
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The dread of something after death. --Shak.
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2. Reverential or respectful fear; awe.
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The fear of you, and the dread of you, shall be upon
every beast of the earth. --Gen. ix. 2.
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His scepter shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings.
--Shak.
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3. An object of terrified apprehension.
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4. A person highly revered. [Obs.] "Una, his dear dread."
--Spenser.
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5. Fury; dreadfulness. [Obs.] --Spenser.
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6. Doubt; as, out of dread. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
Syn: Awe; fear; affright; terror; horror; dismay;
apprehension. See Reverence.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
dread
adj 1: causing fear or dread or terror; "the awful war"; "an
awful risk"; "dire news"; "a career or vengeance so
direful that London was shocked"; "the dread presence of
the headmaster"; "polio is no longer the dreaded disease
it once was"; "a dreadful storm"; "a fearful howling";
"horrendous explosions shook the city"; "a terrible
curse" [syn: awful, dire, direful, dread(a),
dreaded, dreadful, fearful, fearsome,
frightening, horrendous, horrific, terrible]
n 1: fearful expectation or anticipation; "the student looked
around the examination room with apprehension" [syn:
apprehension, apprehensiveness, dread]
v 1: be afraid or scared of; be frightened of; "I fear the
winters in Moscow"; "We should not fear the Communists!"
[syn: fear, dread]