Word Direct Answers

What does "dread" mean?

Dread: 1. Great fear in view of impending evil; fearful apprehension of danger; anticipatory terror. The secret dread of divine displeasure. Tillotson. The dread of something after death. Shak.

Additional senses

  1. 2.Reverential or respectful fear; awe. The fear of you, and the dread of you, shall be upon every beast of the earth. Gen. ix.
  2. 3.His scepter shows the force of temporal power, The attribute to awe and majesty, Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings. Shak.
  3. 4.An object of terrified apprehension.
  4. 5.A person highly revered. [Obs.] "Una, his dear dread." Spenser.
  5. 6.Fury; dreadfulness. [Obs.] Spenser.
  6. 7.Doubt; as, out of dread. [Obs.] Chaucer. See Reverence.
  7. 8.Exciting great fear or apprehension; causing terror; frightful; dreadful. A dread eternity! how surely mine. Young.
  8. 9.Inspiring with reverential fear; awful' venerable; as, dread sovereign; dread majesty; dread tribunal.

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