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Definition of DARE
1. Verb. Take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission. "How dare you call my lawyer?"
2. Noun. A challenge to do something dangerous or foolhardy. "He could never refuse a dare"
3. Verb. To be courageous enough to try or do something. "She dares to dress differently from the others"
4. Verb. Challenge. "They DARE him to write the letter"; "I dare you!"
Specialized synonyms: Brazen
Generic synonyms: Challenge
Derivative terms: Daring, Defiance
Definition of DARE
1. v. i. To have adequate or sufficient courage for any purpose; to be bold or venturesome; not to be afraid; to venture.
2. v. t. To have courage for; to attempt courageously; to venture to do or to undertake.
3. n. The quality of daring; venturesomeness; boldness; dash.
4. v. i. To lurk; to lie hid.
5. v. t. To terrify; to daunt.
6. n. A small fish; the dace.
Definition of DARE
1. Proper noun. (abbreviation of Dictionary of American Regional English Dictionary of American Regional English) ¹
2. Proper noun. (abbreviation of Drug Abuse Resistance Education Drug Abuse Resistance Education) ¹
3. Verb. (intransitive) To have enough courage (to do something). ¹
4. Verb. (transitive) To defy or challenge (someone to do something) ¹
5. Verb. (transitive) To have enough courage to meet or do something, go somewhere, etc.; to face up to ¹
6. Noun. A challenge to prove courage. ¹
7. Verb. (obsolete) To stare stupidly or vacantly; to gaze as though amazed or terrified. (defdate 13th-16th c.) ¹
8. Verb. (obsolete) To lie or crouch down in fear. (defdate 13th-16th c.) ¹
¹ Source: wiktionary.com
Definition of DARE
1. to have the necessary courage [v DARED or DURST, DARING, DARES]
Medical Definition of DARE
1.
To have adequate or sufficient courage for any purpose; to be bold or venturesome; not to be afraid; to venture. "I dare do all that may become a man; who dares do more is none." (Shak) "Why then did not the ministers use their new law? Bacause they durst not, because they could not." (Macaulay) "Who dared to sully her sweet love with suspicion." (Thackeray) "The tie of party was stronger than the tie of blood, because a partisan was more ready to dare without asking why." (Jowett (Thuyd))
The present tense, I dare, is really an old past tense, so that the third person is he dare, but the form he dares is now often used, and will probably displace the obsolescent he dare, through grammatically as incorrect as he shalls or he cans. "The pore dar plede (the poor man dare plead)." (P. Plowman) "You know one dare not discover you." (Dryden) "The fellow dares nopt deceide me." (Shak) "Here boldly spread thy hands, no venom'd weed Dares blister them, no slimly snail dare creep." (Beau. & Fl)
Formerly durst was also used as the present. Sometimes the old form dare is found for durst or dared.
Origin: OE. I dar, dear, I dare, imp. Dorste, durste, AS. Ic dear I dare, imp. Dorste. Inf. Durran; akin to OS. Gidar, gidorsta, gidurran, OHG. Tar, torsta, turran, Goth. Gadar, gadaorsta, Gr. Tharsei^n, tharrei^n, to be bold, tharsys bold, Skr. Dhrsh to be bold.
To terrify; to daunt. "For I have done those follies, those mad mischiefs, Would dare a woman." (Beau. & Fl) To dare larks, to catch them by producing terror through to use of mirrors, scarlet cloth, a hawk, etc, so that they lie still till a net is thrown over them.
Lexicographical Neighbors of DARE
Other Resources:
Afrikaans