From Middle English dreden, from Old English drǣdan (“to fear, dread”), aphetic form of ondrǣdan (“to fear, dread”), from Proto-West Germanic *andarādan, equivalent to Old English and- + rǣdan (whence read); corresponding to an aphesis of earlier adread.
Akin to Old Saxon antdrādan, andrādan (“to fear, dread”), Old High German intrātan (“to fear”), Middle High German entrāten (“to fear, dread, frighten”).
Meanings
(transitive) To fear greatly.
To anticipate with fear.
I'm dreading getting the results of the test, as it could decide my whole life.
Day by day, hole by hole our bearing reins were shortened, and instead of looking forward with pleasure to having my harness put on as I used to do, I began to dread it. [1877], Anna Sewell, “Earlshall”, in Black Beauty: […], London: Jarrold and Sons, […], →OCLC, part II, page 105:
(intransitive) To be in dread, or great fear.
Dread not, neither be afraid of them. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Deuteronomy 1:29:
el φοβάμαι (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · ga adhfhuathaigh (to fear greatly so./sth.) · de Blut und Wasser schwitzen (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · de Bammel haben (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · ca témer (to fear greatly so./sth.) · de fürchten (to be in great fear (intransitive)) · bg страху́вам се (to fear greatly so./sth.) · sq druaj (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · cs děsit se (to fear greatly so./sth.) · es temer (to fear greatly so./sth.) · la vereor (to fear greatly so./sth.) · es despavorir (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · pt temer (to fear greatly so./sth.) · sa बिभेति (to fear greatly so./sth.) · hu retteg (to fear greatly so./sth.) · el φοβάμαι (to fear greatly so./sth.) · fi pelätä (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · mi whakarika (to fear greatly so./sth.) · enm adreden (to fear greatly so./sth.) · fr craindre (to fear greatly so./sth.) · fr redouter (to fear greatly so./sth.) · fi odottaa pelolla (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · cs hrozit se (to fear greatly so./sth.) · cs obávat se (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · nl vrezen (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · la vereor (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · pt temer (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · de eine Gänsehaut bekommen / kriegen (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · es empavorecer (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · ro teme (to fear greatly so./sth.) · sq druaj tutna (to fear greatly so./sth.) · de Schiss haben (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · cs zhrozit se (to fear greatly so./sth.) · nl schrik hebben (to fear greatly so./sth.) · es temer (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · de bibbern (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · enm adreden (to be in great fear (intransitive)) · de schaudern (to fear greatly so./sth.) · fi hirvittää (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · la formīdō (to fear greatly so./sth.) · fr craindre (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · sh strahovati (to fear greatly so./sth.) · nl vrezen (to fear greatly so./sth.) · de grausen (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · gl temer (to fear greatly so./sth.) · la timeō (to fear greatly so./sth.) · ru боя́ться (to fear greatly so./sth.) · de ängstigen (to be in great fear (intransitive)) · ru опаса́ться (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · de zittern (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · nl bang zijn (to fear greatly so./sth.) · cs hrozit se (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · bg опася́вам се (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · cs mít hrůzu (to fear greatly so./sth.) · enm dreden (to be in great fear (intransitive)) · de gruseln (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · de grauen (to fear greatly so./sth.) · fi hirvittää (to fear greatly so./sth.) · he חשש (to fear greatly so./sth.) · enm dreden (to fear greatly so./sth.) · fr redouter (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · enm dreden (to anticipate with fear (that ...)) · de Angst haben (to be in great fear (intransitive)) · fi pelätä (to fear greatly so./sth.) · sq tmerruar (to be in great fear (intransitive)) · it temere (to fear greatly so./sth.)
From Middle English drede, dred, from the verb (see above). Cognate with Old Frisian drēd, drēde (“fear, dread”).
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) Great fear in view of impending evil; fearful apprehension of danger; anticipatory terror.
My visit to the doctor is filling me with dread.
They shared a common dread that he would begin moaning. 1961 November 10, Joseph Heller, “The Soldier in White”, in Catch-22 […], New York, N.Y.: Simon and Schuster, →OCLC, page 169:
the secret dread of divine displeasure 1671, John Tillotson, “Sermon IV. The Advantages of Religion to Particular Persons. Psalm XIX. 11.”, in The Works of the Most Reverend Dr. John Tillotson, Late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: […], London: […] B. Aylmer, […]; [a]nd W. Rogers, […], published 1696, →OCLC:
the dread of something after death c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
In 1928 [Martin] Heidegger succeeded [Edmund] Husserl to take a chair at Freiburg and in his inaugural lecture made a pronouncement that earned him a reputation as an archetypal metaphysician with his claim that our awareness of people as a whole depends on our experience of dread in the face of nothingness. 2014 April 12, Michael Inwood, “Martin Heidegger: the philosopher who fell for Hitler [print version: Hitler's philosopher]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Review), London, page R11:
(countable, uncountable) Reverential or respectful fear; awe.
The fear of you, and the dread of you, shall be upon every beast of the earth. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 9:2:
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power, / The attribute to awe and majesty, / Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings. c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
(countable, uncountable) Somebody or something dreaded.
(countable, obsolete, uncountable) A person highly revered.
Una, his dear dread 1590, Edmund Spenser, “(please specify the book)”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
The mightie ones, affrayd of every chaunges dread 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto IX”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
(countable, uncountable) A Rastafarian.
(abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, countable, in-plural, slang, uncountable) Clipping of dreadlock.
Jesus Christ had dreads / So shake 'em / I ain't got none / But I'm planning on growing some. 2006, “Tell Me When To Go”, in Earl Stevens, Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels (lyrics), Lil Jon (music), My Ghetto Report Card:
(abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, countable, historical, slang, uncountable) Clipping of dreadnought.
hy սոսկում (great fear in view of impending evil) · it timore (great fear in view of impending evil) · ro teamă (great fear in view of impending evil) · he חשש (great fear in view of impending evil) · hy սարսափ (great fear in view of impending evil) · fi kauhu (great fear in view of impending evil) · he אימה (great fear in view of impending evil) · enm drednesse (great fear in view of impending evil) · es horror (great fear in view of impending evil) · de Angst (great fear in view of impending evil) · cs hrůza (great fear in view of impending evil) · gd oillt (great fear in view of impending evil) · gd uamhann (great fear in view of impending evil) · fi pelko (great fear in view of impending evil) · pt terrível (somebody or something dreaded) · es pavor (great fear in view of impending evil) · he פחד (great fear in view of impending evil) · el τρόμος (somebody or something dreaded) · fi kauhistus (somebody or something dreaded) · es temor (great fear in view of impending evil) · es miedo (great fear in view of impending evil) · ota وحشت (great fear in view of impending evil) · de Ehrfurcht (respectful fear, awe) · hy ահ (great fear in view of impending evil) · pl groza (great fear in view of impending evil) · enm dred (great fear in view of impending evil) · bg боя́зън (great fear in view of impending evil) · he חרדה (great fear in view of impending evil) · cs bázeň (respectful fear, awe) · gd eagal (great fear in view of impending evil) · fa وحشت (great fear in view of impending evil) · gl terror (great fear in view of impending evil) · ru боя́знь (great fear in view of impending evil) · la timor (great fear in view of impending evil) · hu rettegés (great fear in view of impending evil) · bg страх (great fear in view of impending evil) · gl pavor (great fear in view of impending evil) · de Gefürchtete (somebody or something dreaded) · nl gevreesde (somebody or something dreaded) · de Grausen (great fear in view of impending evil) · pt terror (great fear in view of impending evil) · gd sgrath (great fear in view of impending evil) · gl horror (great fear in view of impending evil) · srn frede (great fear in view of impending evil) · la metus (great fear in view of impending evil) · he יראה (respectful fear, awe) · tl alap-ap (great fear in view of impending evil) · pt temor (great fear in view of impending evil) · enm dred (respectful fear, awe) · de Schaudern (great fear in view of impending evil) · hi वहशत (great fear in view of impending evil) · cmn 恐怖 (great fear in view of impending evil) · gd uabhas (great fear in view of impending evil) · ro sperietoare (somebody or something dreaded) · ru страх (great fear in view of impending evil) · la formīdō (great fear in view of impending evil) · ro frică (great fear in view of impending evil) · de Befürchtete (somebody or something dreaded) · hi सहम (great fear in view of impending evil) · nl gevreesde (somebody or something dreaded) · ota قورقو (great fear in view of impending evil) · enm drednesse (respectful fear, awe) · el τρόμος (great fear in view of impending evil) · as ভয় (great fear in view of impending evil) · ro temere (great fear in view of impending evil) · ja 恐怖 (great fear in view of impending evil) · nl vrees (great fear in view of impending evil) · nl doodsangst (great fear in view of impending evil) · cmn 恐怖 (somebody or something dreaded) · eo timego (great fear in view of impending evil) · cs vystrašený (somebody or something dreaded) · es terror (great fear in view of impending evil) · fr crainte (great fear in view of impending evil)
From Middle English drede, dredde, dradde, ydreddyd (“feared, dreaded, honoured”), past participle of Middle English dreden (“to fear, dread”). See above.
Meanings
Terrible; greatly feared; dreaded.
1980, Donald Fagen; Walter Becker (lyrics and music), "Glamour Profession" in Gaucho, track 3: "Jack with his radar / Stalking the dread moray eel"
With cat-like tread / Upon our prey we steal / In silence dread / Our cautious way we feel 1879, Arthur Sullivan, The Pirates of Penzance, Gilbert & Sullivan:
I even remember thinking that no human being would go down that dread path again. 1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:
(archaic) Awe-inspiring; held in fearful awe.
The acts made in the first Parliament of our most high and dread soveraigne Charles [I], by the grace of God, King of Great Britaine, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c. […] [book title] 1633, John Hay, editor, The Acts Made in the First Parliament of our Most High and Dread Soveraigne Charles, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britaine, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c.: Holden by Himselfe, Present in Person, with His Three Estates, at Edinburgh, upon the Twentie Eight Day of Iune, Anno Domini 1633, Edinburgh: Printed by Robert Young, printer to the Kings most excellent Maiestie, →OCLC:
de grauenvoll (terrible) · de fürchterlich (terrible) · de gräulich (terrible) · de grauenerregend (terrible) · de schauderhaft (terrible) · de grausig (terrible)