dare

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Definitions (34)

Toggle American Heritage Dictionary definitions American Heritage Dictionary (7)

  1. transitive verb To have the courage required for: The gymnast dared a breathtakingly difficult move.
  2. transitive verb To challenge (someone) to do something requiring boldness: They dared me to dive off the high board.
  3. transitive verb To confront or oppose boldly. See Synonyms at defy.
  4. intransitive verb To be courageous or bold enough to do or try something: Go ahead and dive if you dare.
  5. auxiliary verb To be courageous or bold enough to: I dare not say. How dare she go?
  6. noun An act of daring; a challenge.
  7. usage note
    Depending on its sense, the verb dare sometimes behaves like an auxiliary verb (such as can or may) and sometimes like a main verb (such as want or try). When used as an auxiliary verb, dare does not change to agree with its subject: Let him say that if he dare. It also does not combine with do in questions, negations, or certain other constructions: Dare we tell her the truth? I dare not mention their names. Finally, it does not take to before the verb that follows it: If you dare breathe a word about it, I'll never speak to you again. When used as a main verb, dare does agree with its subject (If he dares to show up at her house I'll be surprised), and it does combine with do (Did anyone dare to admit it?). It may optionally take to before the verb following it: No one dares (or dares to) speak freely about the political situation. The auxiliary forms differ subtly in meaning from the main verb forms in that they emphasize the attitude or involvement of the speaker while the main verb forms present a more objective situation. Thus How dare you operate this machinery without proper training? expresses indignation at the action, whereas How do you dare to operate this machinery without proper training? is a genuine request for information. When dare is used as a transitive verb meaning "challenge,” only main verb forms are possible and to is required: Anyone who dares him to attempt it will be sorry.

Toggle Century Dictionary definitions Century Dictionary (17)

  1. To be bold enough (to do something); have courage, strength of mind, or hardihood (to undertake some action or project); not to be afraid; venture: followed by an infinitive (with or without to) as object, or sometimes, by ellipsis, used absolutely. I dare do all that may become a man; Who dares do more, is none. Shak., Macbeth, i. 7. And what they dare to dream of dare to do. Lowell, Comm. Ode.
  2. [Originally and still often used in the third person of the present tense without a personal termination, and in such case always followed by the infinitive without to: as, he dare not do it. Lo, Conscience dooth chide! For losse of catel he dar not fiʒt. Hymns to Virgin, etc. (E. E. T. S.), p. 66. One dares not light a large candle, except company's coming in. Steele, Lying Lover, iv.]
  3. To venture on; attempt boldly to perform. But this thing dare not. Shak., Tempest, iii. 2.
  4. To challenge; provoke to action, especially by asserting or implying that one lacks courage to accept the challenge; defy: as, to dare a man to fight. I taught him how to manage arms, to dare An enemy, to court both death and dangers. Beau. and Fl., Laws of Candy, v. 1. I whipt him for robbing an orchard once when he was but a child— “The farmer dared me to do it,” he said; he was always so wild. Tennyson, Rizpah.
  5. To arouse; rouse. [Prov. Eng.]
  6. I dare say I suppose or believe; I presume; I think likely: a weak affirmation, generally implying some degree of indifference in assertion or assent. Joseph S. O, yes, I find great use in that screen. Sir Peter T. I dare say you must, certainly. Sheridan, School for Scandal, iv. 3.
  7. The quality of being daring; venturesomeness; boldness; dash; spirit. It lends a lustre, and more great opinion, A larger dare to your great enterprise. Shak., 1 Hen. IV., iv. 1.
  8. A challenge; defiance. Sextus Pompeius Hath given the dare to Cæsar. Shak., A. and C., i. 2.
  9. To take a dare to receive a challenge without accepting it. [Colloq.] It was not consonant with the honor of such a man as Bob to take a dare; so against first one and then another aspiring hero he had fought, until at length there was none that ventured any more to “give a dare” to the victor of so many battles. E. Eggleston, The Graysons, x.
  10. To be in fear; tremble with fear; be stupefied or dazed with fear. Specifically
  11. To lie still in fear; lurk in dread; especially, lie or squat close to the ground, like a frightened bird or hare; look anxiously around, as such a lurking creature. These weddid men that lye and dare, As in a forme lith a wery hare. Chaucer, Shipman's Tale, l. 103.
  12. To droop; languish.
  13. To strike with fear; terrify; daunt; dismay. Now me bus, as a beggar, my bread for to thigge At doris vpon dayes, that dayres me full sore: Till I come to my kyth, can I non othir. Destruction of Troy (E. E. T. S.), l. 13550. For I have done those follies, those mad mischiefs, Would dare a woman. Beau. and Fl., Maid's Tragedy, iv. 1.
  14. To terrify and catch (larks), as by means of a mirror or a piece of red cloth, or by walking round with a hawk on the fist where they are crouching, and then throwing a net over them. Enclos'd the bush about, and there him tooke, Like darred Larke. Spenser, F. Q., VII. vi. 47. If we live thus tamely, To be thus jaded by a piece of scarlet, Farewell nobility; let his grace go forward, And dare us with his cap, like larks. Shak., Hen. VIII., iii. 2.
  15. A mirror for daring larks. The dare for larks, or mirror surrounded by smaller ones, over the mantel-piece, which exercised many commentators on the print, appears in the picture. The Athenœum, Jan. 28, 1888, p. 122.
  16. Same as dace, 1. [Local, Eng.]
  17. A Middle English form of deer.

Toggle GNU Webster's 1913 definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (6)

  1. To have adequate or sufficient courage for any purpose; to be bold or venturesome; not to be afraid; to venture.
  2. To have courage for; to attempt courageously; to venture to do or to undertake.
  3. The quality of daring; venturesomeness; boldness; dash.
  4. To lurk; to lie hid.
  5. To terrify; to daunt.
  6. A small fish; the dace.

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (4)

  1. a challenge to do something dangerous or foolhardy
  2. challenge
  3. take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission
  4. to be courageous enough to try or do something

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