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Added 8 October 2026

dare

/dɛə/ verb

In Latin: audeō Wiktionary

verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about dare at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

To have enough courage (to do something).
I wouldn't dare (to) argue with my boss.
To defy or challenge (someone to do something).
I dare you to kiss that girl.
To have enough courage to meet or do something, go somewhere, etc.; to face up to.
Will you dare death to reach your goal?

noun

A challenge to prove courage.
I did it just for a dare.
The quality of daring; venturesomeness; boldness.
Defiance; challenge.

verb

To stare stupidly or vacantly; to gaze as though amazed or terrified. .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
To lie or crouch down in fear.

noun

A small fish, the dace

Origin

From Middle English durren, from Old English durran, from Proto-West Germanic *durʀan, from Proto-Germanic *durzaną (“to dare”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰedʰórse (“to dare”), reduplicated stative of the root *dʰers- (“to be bold, to dare”), an *-s- extension of *dʰer- (“to hold, support”). Cognates Cognate with Low German dören, Dutch durven, German thüren, Sanskrit दधर्ष (dadhárṣa), but also with Ancient Greek θρασύς (thrasús), Albanian nder, Lithuanian drįsti, Russian дерза́ть (derzátʹ).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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