dare

¹ American  

[dair] / dɛər /

verb (used without object)

dared, durst, dared, daring,

present singular 3rd person

dares, dare

1. to have the necessary courage or boldness for something; be bold enough.

   You wouldn't dare!

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verb (used with object)

dared, durst, dared, daring,

present singular 3rd person

dares, dare

1. to have the boldness to try; venture; hazard.

   Synonyms:

   brave

2. to meet defiantly; face courageously.

   They dared the waves of the North Atlantic.

3. to challenge or provoke (a person) into a demonstration of courage; defy.

   We dared him to show up at school dressed that way.

auxiliary verb

1. to have the necessary courage or boldness to (used chiefly in questions and negatives): He dare not mention the subject again.

   How dare you speak to me like that?

   He dare not mention the subject again.

noun

1. a challenge or provocation posed to someone to test their boldness or courage.

   I accepted the dare.

2. an action proposed to someone as a challenge or test of boldness or courage: She knew it was going to be a humiliating dare.

   Will he be able to complete the dare?

   She knew it was going to be a humiliating dare.

verb phrase

1. dare say. daresay.

idioms

1. on a dare, in response to being challenged to attempt something dangerous or bold.

   She scaled the wall on a dare.

DARE ² American  

1. Dictionary of American Regional English.

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Dare ³ American  

[dair] / dɛər /

noun

1. Virginia 1587–?, daughter of Lost Colony settlers, the first child born in the Americas to English parents.

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dare British  

/ dɛə /

verb

1. (tr) to challenge (a person to do something) as proof of courage

2. (can take an infinitive with or without to) to be courageous enough to try (to do something)

   she dares to dress differently from the others

   you wouldn't dare!

3. rare (tr) to oppose without fear; defy

4. 1. (it is) quite possible (that)

   2. probably: used as sentence substitute

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noun

1. a challenge to do something as proof of courage

2. something done in response to such a challenge

Usage

What does dare mean? While the word dare is used widely and variously for bold behavior, a dare popularly refers to a silly or risky challenge a person is compelled to do as part of children's games.What are some other forms of dare?double dareWhat are some other words related to dare?

• truth or dare
• game on

Related Words

Dare, venture imply involvement in risks and dangers. Dare emphasizes the state of mind that makes one willing to meet danger: He dared to do what he knew was right. Venture emphasizes the act of doing something that involves risk: He ventured into deep water.

Other Word Forms

• darer noun
• redare verb (used with object)
• undared adjective

Etymology

Origin of dare

First recorded before 900; Middle English dar (verb), Old English dear(r), 1st and 3rd person singular present indicative of durran; akin to Old High German gitarran

Example Sentences

"Despite the ceasefire, we dare not return home yet. We are still frightened," she told AFP.

From Barron's

That is, the critic who dared to paint.

From The Wall Street Journal

In an essay on Marianne Moore’s “England,” for example, Vendler writes that “Moore dared to envisage an audience as extravagantly informed as herself.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Yet Masaomi Yasunaga does just that with his sculptures that draw on Japanese pottery traditions while transforming the creative process through a daring inversion.

From The Wall Street Journal

In one of the more unalarming—and dare I admit enjoyable?—examples of audience participation in my experience, four volunteers from the audience join the six contestants onstage, and are duly entered into the competition.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• insult
• oppose
• provoke
• resist
• taunt
• threaten