n. 1 a panic or distress caused by a sense of impending danger, pain, etc. b cause of this. c state of alarm (in fear). 2 (often foil, by of) dread, awe (towards) (fear of heights). 3 danger (little fear of failure). v. 1 feel fear about or towards. 2 (foll. by for) feel anxiety about (feared for my life). 3 (often foll. by that) foresee or expect with unease, fear, or regret (fear the worst; I fear that you are wrong). 4 (foil. by verbal noun) shrink from (feared meeting his exwife). 5 revere (esp. God). Sj for fear of (or that) to avoid the risk of (or that). no fear colloq. certainly not! [Old English]
