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¹dare

verb \ˈder\

: to have enough courage or confidence to do something : to not be too afraid to do something

: to do (something that is difficult or that people are usually afraid to do)

: to tell (someone) to do something especially as a way of showing courage

dareddar·ingdares or (auxiliary) dare

Full Definition of DARE

verbal auxiliary

: to be sufficiently courageous to <no one dared say a word> <she dare not let herself love — G. B. Shaw>

intransitive verb

: to have sufficient courage <try it if you dare>

transitive verb

a : to challenge to perform an action especially as a proof of courage <dared him to jump>

b : to confront boldly : defy <dared the anger of his family>

: to have the courage to contend against, venture, or try <the actress dared a new interpretation of this classic role>

— dar·er \ˈder-ər\ noun

See dare defined for English-language learners

See dare defined for kids

Origin of DARE

Middle English dar (1st & 3d singular present indicative), from Old English dear; akin to Old High German gitar (1st & 3d singular present indicative) dare, Greek tharsos courage

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to DARE

Synonyms: challenge, defy, stump

Antonyms: dodge, duck, funk, shirk, sidestep

Rhymes with DARE

air, Ayr, bare, bear, Blair, blare, care, chair, chare, Dare, e'er, ere, err, eyre, fair, fare, flair, flare, glair, glare, hair, hare, Herr, heir, lair, mare, ne'er, pair, pare, pear, prayer, rare, rear, scare, share, snare, spare, square, stair, stare, swear, tare, tear, their, there, vair, ware, wear, weir, where, yare

²dare

noun

: the act of telling someone to do something as a way of showing courage

Full Definition of DARE

: an act or instance of daring : challenge <foolishly took a dare>

: imaginative or vivacious boldness : daring

See dare defined for English-language learners

First Known Use of DARE

1594

DARE

abbreviation

Definition of DARE

Dictionary of American Regional English

Other Literature Terms

apophasis, bathos, bildungsroman, bowdlerize, caesura, coda, doggerel, euphemism, poesy, prosody

Dare

biographical name \ˈder\

Definition of DARE

Virginia 1587–? 1st child born in America of Eng. parents

Rhymes with DARE

air, Ayr, bare, bear, Blair, blare, care, chair, chare, dare, e'er, ere, err, eyre, fair, fare, flair, flare, glair, glare, hair, hare, Herr, heir, lair, mare, ne'er, pair, pare, pear, prayer, rare, rear, scare, share, snare, spare, square, stair, stare, swear, tare, tear, their, there, vair, ware, wear, weir, where, yare

DARER Defined for Kids

¹dare

verb \ˈder\

dareddar·ing

Definition of DARE for Kids

: to have courage enough for some purpose : be bold enough <Try it if you dare.> —sometimes used as a helping verb <The knight looked so solemn about it that Alice did not dare to laugh. — Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass>

: to challenge to do something especially as a proof of courage <I dare you to jump.>

: to face with courage <They dared the dangerous crossing.>