dare

[dair]

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verb (used without object), dared or (Archaic) durst; dared; daring; present singular 3rd person dares or dare.

to have the necessary courage or boldness for something; be bold enough: You wouldn't dare!

verb (used with object), dared or (Archaic) durst; dared; daring; present singular 3rd person dares or dare.

to have the boldness to try; venture; hazard.

to meet defiantly; face courageously.

to challenge or provoke (a person) into a demonstration of courage; defy: to dare a man to fight.

auxiliary verb

to have the necessary courage or boldness to (used chiefly in questions and negatives): How dare you speak to me like that? He dare not mention the subject again.

noun

an act of daring or defiance; challenge.

Idioms

dare say, daresay.

Origin of dare

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

Related formsdar·er, nounre·dare, verb (used with object), re·dared, re·dar·ing.un·dared, adjective

Synonyms for dare

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2. hazard, risk, brave.

Synonym study

1. 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.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for darer

contender, darer, defier

British Dictionary definitions for darer

dare

verb

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

(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!

(tr) rare to oppose without fear; defy

I dare say or I daresay

(it is) quite possible (that)
probably: used as sentence substitute

noun

a challenge to do something as proof of courage

something done in response to such a challenge

Derived Formsdarer, noun

Word Origin for dare

Old English durran; related to Old High German turran to venture

usage

When used negatively or interrogatively, dare does not usually add -s: he dare not come; dare she come? When used negatively in the past tense, however, dare usually adds -d: he dared not come

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for darer

dare

1590s, from dare (v.).

dare

from first and third person singular of Old English durran "to brave danger, dare; venture, presume," from Proto-Germanic *ders- (cf. Old Norse dearr, Old High German giturran, Gothic gadaursan), from PIE *dhers- "to dare, be courageous" (cf. Sanskrit dadharsha "to be bold;" Old Persian darš- "to dare;" Greek thrasys "bold;" Old Church Slavonic druzate "to be bold, dare;" Lithuanian dristi "to dare," drasus "courageous").

An Old English irregular preterite-present verb: darr, dearst, dear were first, second and third person singular present indicative; mostly regularized 16c., though past tense dorste survived as durst, but is now dying, persisting mainly in northern English dialect. Meaning "to challenge or defy (someone)" is first recorded 1570s.