afraid

Definition of afraid

3 senses · 1 part of speech · etymology included

adj

(predicative)Impressed with fear or apprehension; in fear.

“He is afraid of death.”
“He is afraid to ask her out.”
“He is afraid of the future.”
“I’m not afraid of telling / to tell you the truth: I'm reluctant to go in you car because I’m too afraid of crashing.”
“I went through the worst Ku Klux proposition in the country at the time it was at its height. And I had to go down to the Ku Klux meeting and tell them what I thought of them, and I wasn't afraid of them at all. And I'm not afraid of this situation because I think it'll work out in a way that when these people sit down and get a chance to think and study the situation, they're going to be ashamed of some of the things they've done.”

See all 3 definitions

adj

(predicative)Impressed with fear or apprehension; in fear.

“He is afraid of death.”
“He is afraid to ask her out.”
“He is afraid of the future.”
“I’m not afraid of telling / to tell you the truth: I'm reluctant to go in you car because I’m too afraid of crashing.”
“I went through the worst Ku Klux proposition in the country at the time it was at its height. And I had to go down to the Ku Klux meeting and tell them what I thought of them, and I wasn't afraid of them at all. And I'm not afraid of this situation because I think it'll work out in a way that when these people sit down and get a chance to think and study the situation, they're going to be ashamed of some of the things they've done.”
(predicative)Regretful, sorry; expressing a reluctance to face an unpleasant situation.

“I am afraid I cannot help you in this matter.”
(predicative)Worried about, feeling concern for, fearing for (someone or something).

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

From Middle English affrayed, affraied, past participle of afraien (“to affray”), from Anglo-Norman afrayer (“to terrify, disquiet, disturb”), from Old French effreer, esfreer (“to disturb, remove the peace from”), from…

See full etymology

From Middle English affrayed, affraied, past participle of afraien (“to affray”), from Anglo-Norman afrayer (“to terrify, disquiet, disturb”), from Old French effreer, esfreer (“to disturb, remove the peace from”), from es- (“out”) + freer (“to secure, secure the peace”), from Frankish *friþu (“security, peace”), from Proto-Germanic *friþuz (“peace”), from Proto-Germanic *frijōną (“to free; to love”), from Proto-Indo-European *prāy-, *prēy- (“to like, love”). By surface analysis, affray + -ed. Compare also afeard. More at free, friend.

Anagrams of afraid

1 play · some not in Scrabble

RAFIDA 10 pts

Words you can make from afraid

30 playable · top: FARAD (9 pts)

Best play farad 9 points

4-letter words

8 words

3-letter words

13 words

2-letter words