Afeard

/əˈfɪrd/ adjective

Definition

Frightened, afraid, or filled with fear (archaic form of 'afraid').

Etymology

Archaic past participle of 'afear,' related to Old English 'afyrhte' meaning 'frightened.' The spelling varies between 'afeard' and 'afeered.'

Kelly Says

This is the word Shakespeare used—when characters in his plays are 'afeard,' they're genuinely terrified. It's the ancestor of our modern 'afraid,' and sounds so much more dramatic.

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