Definition of "dare"

dare¹

/dɛə(ɹ)/

verb
third-person singular simple present dare or dares or (archaic) dast, present participle daring, simple past and past participle dared or (archaic) durst
1. (intransitive) To have enough courage (to do something).
  Quotations
  The fellow dares not deceive me.
  1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene i]
  Why then did not the ministers use their new law? Because they durst not, because they could not.
  1832, Thomas Macaulay, Parliamentary Reform
2. (transitive) To defy or challenge (someone to do something)
3. (transitive) To have enough courage to meet or do something, go somewhere, etc.; to face up to
  Quotations
  To wrest it from barbarism, to dare its solitudes.
  1886, Clarence King, The Century
4. (transitive) To terrify; to daunt.
  Quotations
  For I have done those follies, those mad mischiefs, Would dare a woman.
  c. 1608–1611, Francis Beaumont, John Fletcher, “The Maid’s Tragedy”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1679, Act IV, scene i
5. (transitive) To catch (larks) by producing terror through the use of mirrors, scarlet cloth, a hawk, etc., so that they lie still till a net is thrown over them.
  Quotations
  dare us, like larks
  1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)
noun
plural dares
1. A challenge to prove courage.
2. The quality of daring; venturesomeness; boldness.
  Quotations
  It lends a lustre […] / A large dare to our great enterprise.
  c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene i]
3. Defiance; challenge.
  Quotations
  Childish, unworthy dares / Are not enough to part our powers.The spelling has been modernized.
  , Homer, “(please specify |book=I to XXIV)”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., The Iliads of Homer Prince of Poets. […], London: […] Nathaniell Butter; The Iliads of Homer, Prince of Poets, […], new edition, volumes (please specify the book number), London: Charles Knight and Co., […], 1843,
  Sextus Pompeius / Hath given the dare to Caesar.
  c. 1606–1607, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene ii]
4. (games) In the game truth or dare, the choice to perform a dare set by the other players.

dare²

/dɛə(ɹ)/

verb
third-person singular simple present dares, present participle daring, simple past and past participle dared
1. (obsolete) To stare stupidly or vacantly; to gaze as though amazed or terrified. [16thc.]
2. (obsolete) To lie or crouch down in fear. [16thc.]

dare³

/dɛə(ɹ)/

noun
plural dares
1. A small fish, the dace
  Quotations
  The Dare is not unlike a Chub, but proportionably less; his Body is more white and flatter, and his Tail more forked.
  1766, Richard Brookes, The art of angling, rock and sea-fishing

Definition of "dare"

dare1

verb

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noun

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dare2

verb

dare3

noun

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dare¹

dare²

dare³