dread

Noun · Verb · Adjective
Synonyms: apprehensionapprehensivenessfearawfuldiredirefuldread(a)dreadeddreadfulfearfulfearsomefrightening

WordNet 3.0

Noun (1)

  1. fearful expectation or anticipation“the student looked around the examination room with apprehension”Synonyms: apprehensionapprehensiveness

Verb (1)

  1. be afraid or scared of; be frightened of“I fear the winters in Moscow”“We should not fear the Communists!”Synonyms: fear

Adjective (1)

  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”Synonyms: awfuldiredirefuldread(a)dreadeddreadfulfearfulfearsomefrighteninghorrendoushorrificterrible
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

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. [1913 Webster]

Dread \Dread\, a.

1.Exciting great fear or apprehension; causing terror; frightful; dreadful. [1913 Webster]

A dread eternity! how surely mine.— Young.[1913 Webster]

2.Inspiring with reverential fear; awful' venerable; as, dread sovereign; dread majesty; dread tribunal. [1913 Webster]

Dread \Dread\, v. i. To be in dread, or great fear. [1913 Webster]

Dread not, neither be afraid of them. --Deut. i. 29. [1913 Webster]

Dread \Dread\, n.

1.Great fear in view of impending evil; fearful apprehension of danger; anticipatory terror. [1913 Webster]

The secret dread of divine displeasure.— Tillotson.[1913 Webster]
The dread of something after death.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

2.Reverential or respectful fear; awe. [1913 Webster]

The fear of you, and the dread of you, shall be upon every beast of the earth.— Gen. ix. 2.[1913 Webster]
His scepter shows the force of temporal power, The attribute to awe and majesty, Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

3.An object of terrified apprehension. [1913 Webster]

4.A person highly revered. [Obs.] "Una, his dear dread." --Spenser. [1913 Webster]

5.Fury; dreadfulness. [Obs.] --Spenser. [1913 Webster]

6.Doubt; as, out of dread. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

Syn: Awe; fear; affright; terror; horror; dismay; apprehension. See Reverence. [1913 Webster]

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