'Dread' definitions:
Definition of 'dread'
From: WordNet
adjective
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]
noun
Fearful expectation or anticipation; "the student looked around the examination room with apprehension" [syn: apprehension, apprehensiveness, dread]
verb
Be afraid or scared of; be frightened of; "I fear the winters in Moscow"; "We should not fear the Communists!" [syn: fear, dread]
Definition of 'Dread'
From: GCIDE
- 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]
Definition of 'Dread'
From: 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]
Definition of 'Dread'
From: GCIDE
- 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]
Definition of 'Dread'
From: GCIDE
- 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]
Synonyms of 'dread'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- abject fear,
- affright,
- agitation,
- alarm,
- all-overs,
- angst,
- anguish,
- anticipate,
- anticipation,
- anxiety,
- anxiety hysteria,
- anxiety neurosis,
- anxious bench,
- anxious concern,
- anxious seat,
- anxiousness,
- appalling,
- apprehend,
- apprehension,
- apprehensiveness,
- astounding,
- aversion,
- awe,
- awe-inspiring,
- awesome,
- awful,
- be afraid,
- blue funk,
- boredom,
- cankerworm of care,
- care,
- cheerlessness,
- cliff-hanging,
- cold feet,
- concern,
- concernment,
- consternation,
- contemplate,
- cowardice,
- dire,
- direful,
- discomfort,
- discomposure,
- discontent,
- dislike,
- dismay,
- displeasure,
- disquiet,
- disquietude,
- dissatisfaction,
- distress,
- disturbance,
- dreaded,
- dreadful,
- dullness,
- emptiness,
- ennui,
- envisage,
- existential woe,
- expect,
- expectant waiting,
- eye askance,
- face,
- fear,
- feared,
- fearfulness,
- fell,
- flatness,
- flinch,
- foreboding,
- forebodingness,
- foresee,
- formidable,
- fright,
- funk,
- ghastly,
- ghoulish,
- grim,
- grimness,
- grisly,
- gruesome,
- have in mind,
- have qualms,
- hideous,
- hope,
- horrendous,
- horrible,
- horrid,
- horrific,
- horrification,
- horrifying,
- horror,
- inquietude,
- joylessness,
- lack of pleasure,
- macabre,
- malaise,
- misgive,
- misgiving,
- morbid,
- nausea,
- nervous strain,
- nervous tension,
- nervousness,
- nongratification,
- nonsatisfaction,
- overanxiety,
- painfulness,
- panic,
- panic fear,
- perturbation,
- pessimism,
- phobia,
- pins and needles,
- presume,
- pucker,
- qualm,
- queasiness,
- redoubtable,
- savorlessness,
- scare,
- schrecklich,
- shocking,
- shrink from,
- sit upon thorns,
- solicitude,
- spleen,
- staleness,
- stampede,
- stand aghast,
- stew,
- strain,
- suspense,
- take for granted,
- tastelessness,
- tediousness,
- tedium,
- tension,
- terrible,
- terrific,
- terrifying,
- terror,
- the heebie-jeebies,
- think,
- tremendous,
- trepidation,
- trepidity,
- trouble,
- uncertainty,
- uncomfortableness,
- unease,
- uneasiness,
- unhappiness,
- unholy dread,
- unpleasure,
- unquietness,
- unsatisfaction,
- upset,
- vexation,
- vexation of spirit,
- waiting,
- worry,
- zeal