dare English · revision 6100

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 950|origins=ine-pro *dʰers-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /deə/, US /der/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English dar, [[inh|ang|durran|t=to be bold enough, to venture]], from its first and third person singular present (dear, darr; second person dearst),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) a preterite-present verb like [[can]],^(Hoad 1986) from [[gem-pro|*dars-]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) which is also the source of [[osx|gidurran]], [[goh|giturran]] and [[got|𐌲𐌰𐌳𐌰𐌿𐍂𐍃𐌰𐌽|tr=gadaursan]].^(Hoad 1986)^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998) Outside Germanic it is cognate with [[grc|θαρσεῖν|tr=tharseîn|t=to be bold]] and [[m|grc|θρασύς|tr=thrasús|t=bold]], [[sa|धृष्|tr=dhṛṣ|t=to be bold]] and [[cu|дръзати|tr=drŭzati|t=to be bold]],^(Hoad 1986)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from PIE [[ine-pro|*dʰers-|t=bold]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To have the courage to do something: about 950;^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) the second person dearst is recorded earlier, in ''Beowulf'' (about 725).^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The irregular forms were mostly regularized in the 16th century, but the old past tense survived as [[durst]], now persisting mainly in northern English dialect.^(Etymonline) ''How dare you?'' is from about 1200, and the weakened ''I dare say'', I suppose, from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) Transitive senses with a plain object appear in the 16th century:^(Hoad 1986) to challenge or defy someone, especially by implying they lack courage, by the 1570s,^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) and to attempt something boldly from the 1630s.^(Etymonline) The noun, a challenge, is from 1594.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) [[daredevil|alt=Daredevil]] (1794), a contraction of someone ready to dare the devil, is formed like [[cutthroat]] and [[scarecrow]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Cresswell 2021) The OED notes that present dare was carelessly used for the past dared or durst by 1760.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – dearst, in ''Beowulf''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 950 – dear, darr, I dare.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1200 – how dare you?^(Etymonline)

+ * late 14th century – I dare say.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1570s – to challenge someone.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1594 – the noun, a challenge.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1794 – daredevil.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To be brave or bold enough to do something.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To [[challenge]] someone to do something as a test of courage.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To face or oppose boldly; to [[defy]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A challenge to do something bold or risky.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[darer]]

+ * [[daredevil]]

+ * [[daren't]]

+ * [[daresay]]

+ * [[daring]]

+ * [[dassn't]]

+ * [[outdare]]

+ * [[undared]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[durst]]

+ * [[thrasonical]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ There were also two minor words: dare, the [[dace]] (late 15th to mid-18th century), from darse, a variant of dace taken as a plural;^(SOED 2002)^(MWU 2024) and dare, to daze or fascinate, as larks caught with a mirror, whose noun was the device for catching them.^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}