chambers_search-1

Search Chambers

Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.

  



Search Tips & Abbreviations

Search results for 'dare':

dare verb (dared, daring) 1 intrans (also as auxiliary verb - see note below) to be brave enough to do something frightening, difficult or dangerous • He wouldn't dare to leave • Dare I tell him? 2 to challenge someone to do something frightening, difficult, dangerous, etc. 3 to be brave enough to risk facing someone or something • dare his father's anger. noun a challenge to do something dangerous, etc. How dare you! an expression of anger or indignation at something someone has said or done. I dare say or daresay probably; I suppose • I dare say you're right.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon durran.

dare

When dare means 'to be brave enough to do something', it may be used either as an ordinary intransitive verb or as an auxiliary verb.

When dare is used as an intransitive verb, the form of the verb accompanying 'he/she/it' ends in '-s', and questions and negative statements are formed with the auxiliary verb 'do' • If he dares to do that, I'll just walk out • I did not dare to look at him • Didn't you dare to tell him? • Few would have dared to predict the outcome. As an intransitive verb, dare may be followed by 'to', as in the examples above, or, equally correctly, by a verb without 'to'• • I did not dare make a noise • Don't you dare say a word! • Who dares contradict him?

When dare is used as an auxiliary verb, the verb accompanying 'he/she/it' has no '-s' ending, questions and negative statements are formed without 'do', and there is no 'to' before the following verb• • Dare she push her bike through the gate? • I dared not look at him • Daren't he tell her?