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dare

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dare

[dair] verb, dared or (Archaic) durst; dared; daring; present singular 3rd person dares or dare, noun
–verb (used without object)
1. to have the necessary courage or boldness for something; be bold enough: You wouldn't dare!
–verb (used with object)
2. to have the boldness to try; venture; hazard.
3. to meet defiantly; face courageously.
4. to challenge or provoke (a person) into a demonstration of courage; defy: to dare a man to fight.
–auxiliary verb
5. to have the necessary courage or boldness to (used chiefly in questions and negatives): How dare you speak to me like that? He dare not mention the subject again.
–noun
6. an act of daring or defiance; challenge.
7. dare say, daresay.

Origin:
bef. 900; ME dar (v.), OE dear(r), 1st and 3rd person sing. pres. indic. of durran; akin to OHG gitarran


darer, noun


1. Dare, venture imply involvement in risks and dangers. Dare emphasizes the state of mind that makes one willing to meet danger: He dared to do what he knew was right. Venture emphasizes the act of doing something that involves risk: He ventured into deep water. 2. hazard, risk, brave.

Dare

[dair]
–noun
Virginia, 1587–?, first child born of English parents in the Western Hemisphere.

DARE

Dictionary of American Regional English.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To dare
dare   (dâr)   
v.   dared, dar·ing, dares

v.   tr.
  1. To have the courage required for: The gymnast dared a breathtakingly difficult move.

  2. To challenge (someone) to do something requiring boldness: They dared me to dive off the high board.

  3. To confront or oppose boldly. See Synonyms at defy.

v.   intr.
To be courageous or bold enough to do or try something: Go ahead and dive if you dare.
v.   aux.
To be courageous or bold enough to: I dare not say. How dare she go?
n.  An act of daring; a challenge.

[Middle English daren, from Old English dearr, first and third person sing. present indicative of durran, to venture, dare; see dhers- in Indo-European roots.]
dar'er n.
Usage Note: Depending on its sense, the verb dare sometimes behaves like an auxiliary verb (such as can or may) and sometimes like a main verb (such as want or try). When used as an auxiliary verb, dare does not change to agree with its subject: Let him say that if he dare. It also does not combine with do in questions, negations, or certain other constructions: Dare we tell her the truth? I dare not mention their names. Finally, it does not take to before the verb that follows it: If you dare breathe a word about it, I'll never speak to you again. When used as a main verb, dare does agree with its subject (If he dares to show up at her house I'll be surprised), and it does combine with do (Did anyone dare to admit it?). It may optionally take to before the verb following it: No one dares (or dares to) speak freely about the political situation. The auxiliary forms differ subtly in meaning from the main verb forms in that they emphasize the attitude or involvement of the speaker while the main verb forms present a more objective situation. Thus How dare you operate this machinery without proper training? expresses indignation at the action, whereas How do you dare to operate this machinery without proper training? is a genuine request for information. When dare is used as a transitive verb meaning "challenge," only main verb forms are possible and to is required: Anyone who dares him to attempt it will be sorry.
Dare   (dâr)   
The first child of English parents born in America. She disappeared with other members of the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island in Virginia.
DARE  
abbr.  Dictionary of American Regional English
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

dare 
O.E. durran "to brave danger," from P.Gmc. *ders-, from PIE *dhers- (cf. Skt. dadharsha "to be bold," O.Pers. darš- "to dare," Gk. thrasys "bold," O.C.S. druzate "to be bold, dare"). An O.E. irregular preterite-present verb: darr, dearst, dear were first, second and third person singular present indicative; mostly regularized 16c., though past tense dorste survived as durst, but is now dying, persisting mainly in northern Eng. dialect. Meaning "to challenge or defy (someone)" is first recorded 1580. Daredevil is from 1794.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Computing Dictionary

DARE
Differential Analyzer REplacement. A family of simulation languages for continuous systems.
["Digital Continuous System Simulation", G.A. Korn et al, P-H 1978].

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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Abbreviations & Acronyms
DARE
  1. Dictionary of American Regional English

  2. Drug Abuse Resistance Education

The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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