dare
( dares plural & 3rd person present) ( daring present participle) ( dared past tense & past participle )
Dare sometimes behaves like an ordinary verb, for example `He dared to speak' and `He doesn't dare to speak' and sometimes like a modal, for example `He daren't speak'.
1 verb If you do not dareto do something, you do not have enough courage to do it, or you do not want to do it because you fear the consequences. If you dareto do something, you do something which requires a lot of courage.
oft with brd-neg
Most people hate Harry but they don't dare to say so... V to-inf
We have had problems in our family that I didn't dare tell Uncle. V inf
Dare is also a modal., modal
Dare she risk staying where she was?..., The government dare not raise interest rates again..., `Are you coming with me?'<emdash>`I can't, Alice. I daren't.'
2 verb If you dare someone to do something, you challenge them to prove that they are not frightened of doing it.
Over coffee, she lit a cigarette, her eyes daring him to comment... V n to-inf
3 n-count A dare is a challenge which one person gives to another to do something dangerous or frightening.
usu sing, usu as/for/on a N
When found, the children said they'd run away for a dare.
4 If you say to someone `don't you dare' do something, you are telling them not to do it and letting them know that you are angry.
SPOKEN
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don't you dare phrase oft PHR inf (feelings)
Allen, don't you dare go anywhere else, you hear?
5 You say `how dare you'' when you are very shocked and angry about something that someone has done.
SPOKEN
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how dare you phrase usu PHR inf (feelings)
How dare you pick up the phone and listen in on my conversations!...
6 You use `dare I say it' when you know that what you are going to say will disappoint or annoy someone.
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dare I say it phrase PHR with cl (politeness)
Politicians usually attract younger women, dare I say it, because of the status they have in society.
7 You can use `I dare say' or `I daresay' before or after a statement to indicate that you believe it is probably true.
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I dare say/I daresay phrase PHR that, cl PHR
(=I suppose)