Fear. n.s. [ꝼaꞃan, Sax. to fear; vaer, Dut. feakle, Erse.]

1. Dread; horrour; painful apprehension of danger.

   Fear is an uneasiness of the mind, upon the thought of future evil likely to befal us. Locke.

   Treambling fear still to and fro did fly,
   And found no place where safe she shrowd him might. F. Q.

   For fear was upon them, because of the people of those countries. Ezra iii. 3.

   What then remains? Are we depriv'd of will?
   Must we not wish, for fear of wishing ill? Dryden's Juv.

   Fear, in general, is that passion of our nature whereby we are excited to provide for our security upon the approach of evil. Rogers, Sermon 1.

2. Awe; dejection of mind at the presence of any person or thing.

   And the fear of you, and the dread of you, shall be upon every beast. Gen. ix. 2.

3. Anxiety; solicitude.

   The greatest and principal fear was for the holy temple. 2 Mac. xv. 18.

4. That which causes fear.

               Antony, stay not by his side:
   Thy demon, that's the spirit that keeps thee, is
   Noble, courageous, high, unmatchable,
   Where Cæsar's is not; but near him, thy angel
   Becomes a fear, as being o'erpower'd. Shak. Ant. and Cleop.

5. The object of fear.

   Except the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaac had been with me. Gen. xxxi. 42.

6. Something hung up to scare deer by its colour or noise.

   He who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit, and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare. Is. xxiv. 18.