fear

Less common meanings

6. 6
   verbtransitive

   To deeply respect and feel awe toward someone powerful.

   The faithful fear God and obey his laws.

   People once feared their rulers as living gods.

   Similarrevere, venerate, honor, worship, respect

   Oppositescorn, despise, disrespect

   Note
7. 7
   be sorryverbtransitive

   To be sorry about something or wish it were not so.

   I fear I have some bad news for you.

   We fear the show has already sold out.

   UsageLike I'm afraid, but more formal: I fear it is too late.

   Similarsuspect, regret

   Note
8. 8
   morning afternounUKcountable or uncountablewith the

   The worried, dreadful feeling you get the morning after drinking too much, when you wonder what you did.

   Like a sinking feeling that you've done something wrong but can't recall what.

   After the party, he woke with the fear and couldn't remember a thing.

   She had the fear all morning, dreading what she might have said the night before.

   Similarhorrors, dread, hangxiety

   Note
9. 9
   verbobsoletetransitive

   To suspect or doubt that something is true.

   Fear you not her courage?

   1591, William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt,”Here, fear means doubt, so do you doubt her courage?

   Note
10. 10
    verbobsoletetransitive

    To make someone feel afraid.

    Tush, tush! fear boys with bugs.

    c. 1590, William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”Here, fear means frighten, so to scare boys.

    Ythrild with deepe disdaine of his proud threat, She shortly thus; Fly they, that need to fly; Wordes fearen babes.

    1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie QueeneHere, fearen means frighten, so words scare babies.

    Note
11. 11
    adjectivedialectal

    Strong, healthy, and able to do hard work.

    Similarhale, sturdy, strong, robust, hearty

    Oppositefrail, feeble, weak, infirm

    Note