for fear of en · ADP
Meanings
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(idiomatic) In order to attempt to prevent the risk of (a particular incident or event occurring).
‘Then the father has a great fight with his terrible conscience,’ said Munday with granite seriousness. ‘Should he make a row with the police[…]? Or should he say nothing about it and condone brutality for fear of appearing in the newspapers?’
1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 18, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:[...] but in the damp conditions prevailing the driver sensibly was unwilling to attempt the climb up through Combe Down tunnel without help, for fear of slipping to a standstill in the unventilated bore, [...].
1960 March, “Motive Power Miscellany: Western Region”, in Trains Illustrated, page 184:
Relateds
Translations (2)
eo timante (attempting to prevent the risk of an event) · ga ar eagla (attempting to prevent the risk of an event)