Dread
/drɛd/
nounverbB2
Definition
Dread is a strong and unpleasant feeling when you expect something bad or frightening to happen. It is more serious than simple worry and often makes people feel tense or nervous. As a verb, to dread means to feel this fear or worry before an event or situation.
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See It in Action
Noun: A strong feeling of fear or worry about something that may happen
- •She felt dread before giving her speech.
- •The dread of losing his job kept him awake at night.
- •There was a sense of dread in the room before the storm arrived.
Verb: To feel very afraid or worried about a future event
- •I dread going to the dentist because I hate the pain.
- •He dreads the idea of moving to a new city.
- •Many students dread exams, especially difficult ones.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "dread" like "fear," but stronger and about something that might happen soon, not something happening now.
- ✓Picture waiting for a big test or a visit to the doctor, feeling your heart beat faster and your stomach feel upset.
- ✓It's the feeling you get when you don't want to do something because you expect it to be very bad or hard.
- ✓Sounds like "dread" → imagine someone carrying a heavy "dread" (like a heavy rock) inside their chest, making them feel heavy and worried.
- ✓Remember stories where characters wait nervously before a big event, like a knight before a battle, full of dread.
- ✓NOT like "fear" that can be about something happening now; "dread" is mostly about something in the future.
- ✓NOT like "anxiety" which can be unclear or general worry; "dread" is a clear, strong fear about a specific event.
- ✓NOT like "worry" which can be small or light; "dread" is a deep, heavy feeling.
Try Other Words
- •Fear: a general feeling of being afraid (Use when the feeling is less strong or about present danger)
- •Anxiety: a nervous or worried feeling (Use when the worry is unclear or more general, not about one clear event)
- •Apprehension: a feeling of worry or fear about the future (Use when the fear is less strong and more about uncertainty)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: root word "dread" (no prefix or suffix)
- •Etymology: Old English "drǣdan" meaning to fear or be afraid
- •Historical development: Used in English since early medieval times to describe fear or terror
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe strong fear or worry about future events, both as noun and verb
- •Key insight: The word carries a heavy emotional weight, often linked to serious or important situations
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a time when you felt dread about something? How did it affect your actions?
•How is dread different from simple worry or fear in your own experience?
Fill in the blanks
1.She felt dread before ___ her speech in front of the class because she was very nervous.
2.Many people dread ___ to the doctor because they expect it to be uncomfortable.
3.The dread of ___ a mistake made him very careful with his work.
4.Unlike normal fear, dread usually happens ___ something bad is expected in the future.
5.When you dread something, you often feel a heavy ___ in your chest or stomach.
6.He tried to avoid thinking about the test because the dread made him feel ___.
7.People often say they dread Monday mornings because they ___ going back to work or school.