Dread Definition
drĕd
dreaded, dreading, dreads, dreadest
verb
dreaded, dreading, dreads
To be in terror of; fear intensely.
American Heritage
To anticipate with anxiety, alarm, or apprehension; fear intensely.
Webster's New World
To face (something disagreeable) with reluctance.
Webster's New World
To be very fearful.
Webster's New World
To regard with awe.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
noun
dreads
Intense fear, esp. of something which may happen.
Webster's New World
Profound fear; terror.
American Heritage
Fearful or anxious anticipation.
The dread of saying something foolish on stage.
American Heritage
Reluctance and uneasiness.
Webster's New World
An instance of fear or fearful anticipation.
His dreads about school finally subsided.
American Heritage
Synonyms:
adjective
dreadest
Causing terror or fear.
A dread disease.
American Heritage
Dreaded or dreadful.
Webster's New World
Inspiring awe or reverence; awesome.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
Other Word Forms of Dread
Adjective
Base Form:
dread
Superlative:
dreadestOrigin of Dread
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Middle English dreden, from Old English drǣdan (“to fear, caution against”), aphetic form of ādrǣdan, ondrǣdan (“to advise or counsel against”); compare with Dutch ontraden (“to advise or counsel against”), from and- (“against”) + rǣdan (“to counsel, advise”). Akin to Old High German intrātan (“to fear”). More at read.
From Wiktionary
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Middle English dreden short for adreden from Old English adrǣdan from ondrǣdan to advise against, fear ond-, and- against un–2 rǣdan to advise ar- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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