dare

UK: /ˈdɛə^r/ US: /dɛr/ ,(dâr)

Inflections of 'dare' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

dares

v 3rd person singular (When operating as an ordinary verb––e.g. "He who dares wins.")

dare

v 3rd person singular (When operating as a modal verb––e.g. "Dare she ask why?")

daring

v pres p

dared

v past

durst

v past (Rare: now only literary)

dared

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

dare /dɛr/   v., dared, dar•ing;
 pres. sing. 3rd pers. dares or dare, n. 
v. 

1. [ ~ + obj + to + verb] to challenge or persuade (a person) into a demonstration of courage or to do something:
   I dare you to climb that.
2. [ ~ + obj] to face;
   risk:
   He will dare any test to prove his manhood.

auxiliary or modal v. [ not: be + ~ -ing]

3. As a verb that is like an auxiliary verb and like a modal verb, dare has the meaning "to have the courage or boldness to'' (do something). It occurs with negative words or phrases, and in questions, as in the examples below:
   • Like a modal verb, it is followed by the root form of the next verb:
     He dared not speak to me like that. How dare you speak to me like that?
   • Like an auxiliary verb, it agrees with the subject in the present tense in sentences with negative words or phrases:
     The girl dares not take another step.
   • Like a modal verb, in questions in the present tense, it has only one form, dare, even when the subject is he, she, or it, or a singular noun:
     Dare he mention the subject again?
   • Like both modal and auxiliary verbs, in questions dare goes before the subject:
     Dare I say it?

n. [countable]

4. an act of daring or defiance;
   challenge:
   I took that stupid dare.

Idioms

5. I daresay. Use this phrase to mean "I suppose (that)'', or "perhaps,'' as in:
   I daresay he's right (= I suppose he's right).

dar•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

dare  (dâr), v., dared or ([Archaic] ) durst;
dared;
daring;
 pres. sing. 3rd pers. dares or dare, n. 
v.i. 

1. to have the necessary courage or boldness for something;
   be bold enough:
   You wouldn't dare!

v.t. 
2. to have the boldness to try;
   venture;
   hazard.
3. to meet defiantly;
   face courageously.
4. to challenge or provoke (a person) into a demonstration of courage;
   defy:
   to dare a man to fight.
5. Idioms dare say, daresay.

auxiliary v. 
6. to have the necessary courage or boldness to (used chiefly in questions and negatives):
   How dare you speak to me like that? He dare not mention the subject again.

n. 
7. an act of daring or defiance;
   challenge.
• bef. 900; Middle English dar (verb, verbal), Old English dear(r), 1st and 3rd person singular present indicative of durran; akin to Old High German gitarran
dar′er, n. 
Synonyms
• 1. Dare, venture imply involvement in risks and dangers.
  Dare emphasizes the state of mind that makes one willing to meet danger:
  He dared to do what he knew was right.
  Venture emphasizes the act of doing something that involves risk:
  He ventured into deep water.
• 2. hazard, risk, brave.

Dare  (dâr), n. 

1. Biographical Virginia, 1587–?, first child born of English parents in the Western Hemisphere.

DARE, 

1. Linguistics Dictionary of American Regional English.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

dare / dɛə/ verb

1. (transitive) to challenge (a person to do something) as proof of courage
2. (can take an infinitive with or without to) to be courageous enough to try (to do something): she dares to dress differently from the others, you wouldn't dare!
3. (transitive) to oppose without fear; defy
4. I dare say, I daresay ⇒ (it is) quite possible (that)
5. probably: used as sentence substitute

noun

1. a challenge to do something as proof of courage
2. something done in response to such a challenge

Etymology: Old English durran; related to Old High German turran to venture

ˈdarer noun