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).
Meanings
A challenge to prove courage.
I did it just for a dare.
The quality of daring; venturesomeness; boldness.
It lends a lustre […] / A large dare to our great enterprise. c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
Defiance; challenge.
Childish, unworthy dares / Are not enough to part our powers. [1611?], Homer, “(please specify |book=I to XXIV)”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., The Iliads of Homer Prince of Poets. […], London: […] Nathaniell Butter, →OCLC; republished as The Iliads of Homer, Prince of Poets, […], new edition, volume (please specify the book number), London: Charles Knight and Co., […], 1843, →OCLC:
Sextus Pompeius / Hath given the dare to Caesar. c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:
In the game truth or dare, the choice to perform a dare set by the other players.
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).
Meanings
(intransitive) To have enough courage (to do something).
They daredn't tell me the truth, even though I dared (to) acknowledge my mistake to them.
Don't back away just yet / From destinations set / I dare you to be proud / To dare to shout aloud / For convictions that you feel / Like sound from bells to peal 1980, “Double Dare”, in In the Flat Field, performed by Bauhaus, Track 1:
No one dares (to) criticize his decisions.
The fellow dares not deceive me. 1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
I wouldn't dare (to) argue with my boss.
I daren't tell him I've had an affair with another man.
Why then did not the ministers use their new law? Because they durst not, because they could not. 1832, Thomas Macaulay, Parliamentary Reform:
(transitive) To defy or challenge (someone to do something).
Don't back away just yet / From destinations set / I dare you to be proud / To dare to shout aloud / For convictions that you feel / Like sound from bells to peal 1980, “Double Dare”, in In the Flat Field, performed by Bauhaus, Track 1:
I dare you to kiss that girl.
Particular note, in this period, should be made of the actions of Joseph Denman, commander of the Northern Division of the Squadron, who went on an absolutely ruthless and systematic campaign along the African coast, burning so-called "slaving factories" to the ground and openly daring anyone who objected to try and stop him. 2018 December 1, Drachinifel, 9:26 from the start, in Anti-Slavery Patrols - The West Africa Squadron, archived from the original on 29 Nov 2024:
(transitive) To have enough courage to meet or do something, go somewhere, etc.; to face up to.
Servants would hardly dare to enter the room where, glooming and glowering, the maned and bearded head looked up from his papers as a lion from a bone. Only Enid could dare him at such a time, and even she felt occasionally that sinking of the heart which the bravest of tamers may experience as he unbars the gate of the cage. 1926, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Land of Mist:
Will you dare death to reach your goal?
To wrest it from barbarism, to dare its solitudes. 1886, Clarence King, The Century:
(transitive) To terrify; to daunt.
For I have done those follies, those mad mischiefs, Would dare a woman. c. 1608–1611, Francis Beaumont, John Fletcher, “The Maid’s Tragedy”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1679, →OCLC, Act IV, scene i:
(archaic, transitive) To drive larks to the ground by scaring them (for instance, with mirrors or hawks) so they can be caught in nets.
dare us, like larks 1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
How, think you, would that godly prince (if he were now living) handle our idols, set up against God's commandment directly, and being figures of nothing but folly, and for fools to gaze on, till they become as wise as the blocks themselves which they stare on, and so fall down as dared larks in that gaze, and being themselves alive, worship a dead stock or stone, gold or silver, and so become idolaters […] 1815, Church of England, Sermons: Or, Homilies, page 210:
I have an hobby can make larks to dare 1516, John Skelton, Magnificence, Manchester University Press, →ISBN, page 35:
sv riskera (to brave or face up to) · el τολμώ (to have courage) · gl afoutar (to have courage) · cmn 敢 (to have courage) · nn våge (to have courage) · he הֵעֵז (to have courage) · fr affronter (to brave or face up to) · uk дерза́ти (to have courage) · got 𐌲𐌰𐌳𐌰𐌿𐍂𐍃𐌰𐌽 (to have courage) · ar تَحَدَّى (to defy or challenge) · no utfordre (to defy or challenge) · ca atrevir-se a (to have courage) · kmr wêrîn (to have courage) · fr oser (to have courage) · oc ausar (to have courage) · cs vyzvat (to defy or challenge) · nb våge (to have courage) · nan-hbl káⁿ (to have courage) · ja 堪える (to brave or face up to) · ar جَرُؤَ (to have courage) · be адва́жвацца (to have courage) · pl wyzwać (to defy or challenge) · izh tohtia (to have courage) · be смець (to have courage) · it affrontare (to brave or face up to) · nn tore (to have courage) · hu dacol (to brave or face up to) · lv drīkstēt (to have courage) · sl upati si (to have courage) · ru подзадо́ривать (to defy or challenge) · la audeō (to have courage) · pt desafiar (to defy or challenge) · rup cãidisescu (to have courage) · cs odvažovat se (to brave or face up to) · izh roohtia (to have courage) · uk нава́житися (to have courage) · uk нава́жуватися (to have courage) · fo tora (to have courage) · fa جرأت داشتن (to brave or face up to) · sw -thubutu (to have courage) · frr döre (to have courage) · bg смея (to have courage) · ms cabar (to defy or challenge) · frr däär (to have courage) · fi uhmata (to brave or face up to) · fo vága (to have courage) · da vove (to have courage) · it azzardarsi a (to have courage) · ru рискова́ть (to brave or face up to) · fi haastaa (to defy or challenge) · bg осмелявам се (to brave or face up to) · gl alouparse (to defy or challenge) · sk odvážiť sa (to have courage) · eo aŭdaci (to have courage) · ja 冒す (to brave or face up to) · nb tørre (to have courage) · sv töras (to have courage) · ms berani (to have courage) · no risikere (to brave or face up to) · ru подзадо́рить (to defy or challenge) · gl enfrontar (to brave or face up to) · pt enfrentar (to brave or face up to) · ga tabhair dúshlán (to defy or challenge) · af waag (to brave or face up to) · zdj usuɓuti (to have courage) · la audeo (to brave or face up to) · ia osar (to have courage) · ru осме́литься (to have courage) · es osar (to have courage) · pt ousar (to have courage) · ru сме́ло смотре́ть в лицо́ (to brave or face up to) · nl wagen (to have courage) · nb tore (to have courage) · hy համարձակվել (to have courage) · vec onsar (to have courage) · pt atrever-se a (to have courage) · nl durven (to have courage) · ru дерза́ть (to have courage) · gl arrouzar (to have courage) · gl defrontar (to brave or face up to) · cs riskovat (to brave or face up to) · ru отва́живаться (to have courage) · de herausfordern (to defy or challenge) · sv utmana (to defy or challenge) · hu kihív (to defy or challenge) · it ardire (to have courage) · io audacar (to have courage) · fr défier (to defy or challenge) · sv våga (to have courage) · es atreverse (to have courage) · de trotzen (to brave or face up to) · nl tarten (to defy or challenge) · cu дръзнѫти (to have courage) · be адва́жыцца (to have courage) · it osare (to have courage) · gl desfiar (to defy or challenge) · vi dám (to have courage) · ro cuteza (to have courage) · bg дръзвам (to have courage) · da turde (to have courage) · cy beiddio (to defy or challenge) · rup dãvrãnsescu (to have courage) · de wagen (to have courage) · ang durran (to have courage) · cy beiddio (to have courage) · grc τολμάω (to have courage) · ja 思い切ってする (to have courage) · scn attriviri (to have courage) · es denodarse (to have courage) · nl uitdagen (to defy or challenge) · ru отва́житься (to have courage) · cs odvážit se (to have courage) · fur olsâ (to have courage) · sa धृष्णोति (to have courage) · ca gosar (to have courage) · cy meiddio (to defy or challenge) · fi uskaltaa (to have courage) · pl wyzywać (to defy or challenge) · it arrischiarsi a (to have courage) · ru рискну́ть (to brave or face up to) · af daag (to defy or challenge) · got 𐌰𐌽𐌰𐌽𐌰𐌽𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to have courage) · az cəsarət etmək (to have courage) · ga leomh (to have courage) · gl ousar (to have courage) · cmn 膽敢 /胆敢 (to have courage) · hy հանդգնել (to have courage) · gl entestar (to brave or face up to) · cmn 冒險 /冒险 (to brave or face up to) · eu ausartu (to have courage) · ru осме́ливаться (to have courage) · bg предизвиквам (to defy or challenge) · uk смі́ти (to have courage) · pl ośmielać się (to brave or face up to) · hu merészel (to have courage) · vec olsar (to have courage) · ru посме́ть (to have courage) · ru сметь (to have courage) · af durf (to have courage) · ro încumeta (to have courage) · rup cutedz (to have courage) · ru броса́ть вы́зов (to defy or challenge) · ar وَاجَهَ (to brave or face up to) · fa جرأت کردن (to have courage) · ia defiar (to defy or challenge) · af uitdaag (to defy or challenge) · is voga (to have courage) · izh usaltaa (to have courage) · hu mer (to have courage) · vi thách (to defy or challenge) · pl odważyć się (to have courage) · pl śmieć (to have courage) · is þora (to have courage) · it sfidare (to defy or challenge) · gl arretar (to defy or challenge) · nl trotseren (to brave or face up to) · ro îndrăzni (to have courage) · rup dãldãsescu (to have courage) · ru дерзну́ть (to have courage) · cs troufat si (to have courage) · pl ośmielić się (to brave or face up to) · sga ro·laimethar (to have courage) · fy doare (to have courage) · pl odważać się (to have courage) · ja 敢えてする (to have courage) · la audeō (to defy or challenge) · si නිර්භීත (to have courage)
The Dare is not unlike a Chub, but proportionably less; his Body is more white and flatter, and his Tail more forked. 1766, Richard Brookes, The art of angling, rock and sea-fishing: