dare

[ dair ]
See synonyms for dare on Thesaurus.com
verb (used without object),dared or (Archaic) durst [durst]; /dɜrst/; dared;daring;present singular 3rd person dares or dare.
  1. to have the necessary courage or boldness for something; be bold enough: You wouldn't dare!

verb (used with object),dared or (Archaic) durst [durst]; /dɜrst/; dared;daring;present singular 3rd person dares or dare.
  1. to have the boldness to try; venture; hazard.

  2. to meet defiantly; face courageously:They dared the waves of the North Atlantic.

  1. 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): 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:Will he be able to complete the dare?She knew it was going to be a humiliating dare.

Verb Phrases
  1. dare say. See entry at daresay.

Idioms about dare

  1. on a dare, in response to being challenged to attempt something dangerous or bold: She scaled the wall on a dare.

Origin of dare

1
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

synonym study For dare

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.

Other words for dare

Other words from dare

  • dar·er, noun
  • re·dare, verb (used with object), re·dared, re·dar·ing.
  • un·dared, adjective

Words Nearby dare

Other definitions for Dare (2 of 3)

Dare
[ dair ]

noun
  1. Vir·gin·ia [ver-jin-yuh], /vərˈdʒɪn yə/, 1587–?, daughter of Lost Colony settlers, the first child born in the Americas to English parents.

Other definitions for DARE (3 of 3)

DARE

  1. Dictionary of American Regional English.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use dare in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for dare

dare

/ (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!

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

  2. I dare say or I daresay

    • (it is) quite possible (that)

    • probably: used as sentence substitute

noun
  1. a challenge to do something as proof of courage

  2. something done in response to such a challenge

Origin of dare

1
Old English durran; related to Old High German turran to venture

usage For dare

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

Derived forms of dare

  • darer, noun

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