afear

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English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English aferen (to frighten, terrify), from Old English āfǣran (to terrify, dismay), from ā- (perfective prefix) + fǣran (to frighten; to devour, raven), from fǣr (sudden danger, calamity, ambush; a blitz), from Proto-Germanic *fērō (danger), from Proto-Indo-European *per- (to try, dare, risk).

Pronunciation

Verb

afear (third-person singular simple present afears, present participle afearing, simple past and past participle afeared)

  1. (obsolete or dialectal) To imbue with fear; to affright, to terrify.
    • 1543 June 8, Henry VIII of England, “The Nynthe Article. The Holy Catholike Churche.”, in A Necessary Doctrine and Erudicion for Any Chrysten Man, Set furth by the Kynges Maiestye of Englande, &c., imprinted at London:   by Thomas Berthelet, , →OCLC:
      Moreouer the perfit beleue of this article, worketh in all true chriſten people, aloue to continue in this vnitie, and afeare to be caſte out of the ſame, and it worketh in them that be ſinners and repentant, great comforte, and conſolacion, to obteine remiſſion of ſinne, by vertue of Chriſtes paſſion, and adminiſtracion of his ſacramentes at the miniſters handes, ordained for that purpoſe, [...]
    • 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, , page 12, column 2:
      Be not affeard, the Iſle is full of noyſes, / Sounds, and ſweet aires, that giue delight and hurt not.

Derived terms

Anagrams

Spanish

Etymology

From feo (ugly).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /afeˈaɾ/
  • Audio (Venezuela):(file)
  • Rhymes: -aɾ
  • Syllabification: a‧fe‧ar

Verb

afear (first-person singular present afeo, first-person singular preterite afeé, past participle afeado)

  1. (transitive) to make ugly; to uglify
    Antonym: embellecer
  2. (transitive) to criticize, denounce
    Synonyms: recriminar, tachar
    • 2021 May 4, Carlos E. Cué, “Ayuso arrasa en Madrid”, in El País:
      La comunidad madrileña ha sido el epicentro de la oposición del PP cuando no está en La Moncloa desde la época de Esperanza Aguirre, que competía con Mariano Rajoy y constantemente le afeaba que no fuera lo suficientemente duro con José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Conjugation

Derived terms

Further reading