fear
FEAR, n. See the Verb.
1. A painful emotion or passion excited by an expectation of evil, or the apprehension of impending danger. Fear expresses less apprehension than dread, and dread less than terror and fright. The force of this passion, beginning with the most moderate degree, may be thus expressed, fear, dread, terror, fright. Fear is accompanied with a desire to avoid or ward off the expected evil. Fear is an uneasiness of mind, upon the thought of future evil likely to befall us.
Fear is the passion of our nature which excites us to provide for our security, on the approach of evil.
2. Anxiety; solicitude.
The principal fear was for the holy temple.
3. The cause of fear.
Thy angel becomes a fear.
4. The object of fear.
Except the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me. Gen 31.
5. Something set or hung up to terrify wild animals, by its color or noise. Is. 24. Jer. 48.
6. In scripture, fear is used to express a filial or a slavish passion. In good men, the fear of God is a holy awe or reverence of God and his laws, which springs from a just view and real love of the divine character, leading the subjects of it to hate and shun every thing that can offend such a holy being, and inclining them to aim at perfect obedience. This is filial fear.
I will put my fear in their hearts. Jer. 32.
Slavish fear is the effect or consequence of guilt; it is the painful apprehension of merited punishment. Rom. 8.
The love of God casteth out fear. 1John 4.
7. The worship of God.
I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Ps. 34.
8. The law and word of God.
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever. Ps. 19.
9. Reverence; respect; due regard.
Render to all their dues; fear to whom fear. Rom. 13.
FEAR, v.t. L. vereor.
1. To feel a painful apprehension of some impending evil; to be afraid of; to consider or expect with emotions of alarm or solicitude. We fear the approach of an enemy or of a storm. We have reason to fear the punishment of our sins.
I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Ps. 23.
2. To reverence; to have a reverential awe; to venerate.
This do, and live: for I fear God. Gen. 42.
3. To affright; to terrify; to drive away or prevent approach by fear, or by a scarecrow. This seems to be the primary meaning, but now obsolete.
We must not make a scarecrow of the law, setting it up to fear the birds of prey.
FEAR, v.i. To be in apprehension of evil; to be afraid; to feel anxiety on account of some expected evil.
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtility, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 2Cor. 11.
Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. Gen. 15.
FEAR, n. A companion. Not in use. See Peer.
feared
FEARED, pp. Apprehended or expected with painful solicitude; reverenced.
fearful
FEARFUL, a.
1. Affected by fear; feeling pain in expectation of evil; apprehensive with solicitude; afraid. I am fearful of the consequences of rash conduct. Hence,
2. Timid; timorous; wanting courage.
What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted?
Deut. 20.
3. Terrible; impressing fear; frightful; dreadful.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Heb. 10.
4. Awful; to be reverenced.
O Lord, who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises? Ex. 15.
That thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, Jehovah, thy God. Deut. 28.
fearfulness
FEARFULNESS, n.
1. Timorousness; timidity.
2. State of being afraid; awe; dread.
A thing that makes a government despised, is fearfulness of, and mean compliances with, bold popular offenders.
3. Terror; alarm; apprehension of evil.
Fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Is. 33.