King James Bible Dictionary

DREAD, noun Dred. [Latin , to dread; fearful; to tremble. The primary sense is probably to tremble, or to shrink.]

1. Great fear, or apprehension of evil or danger. It expresses more than fear, and less than terror or fright. It is an uneasiness or alarm excited by expected pain, loss or other evil. We speak of the dread of evil; the dread of suffering; the dread of the divine displeasure. It differs from terror also in being less sudden or more continued.

2. Awe; fear united with respect.

3. Terror.

Shall not his dread fall on you. Job 13:11.

4. The cause of fear; the person or the thing dreaded.

Let him be your dread Isaiah 8:13.

DREAD, adjective

1. Exciting great fear or apprehension.

2. Terrible; frightful.

3. Awful; venerable in the highest degree; as dread sovereign; dread majesty; dread tribunal.

DREAD, verb transitive To fear in a great degree; as, to dread the approach of a storm.

DREAD, verb intransitive To be in great fear.

DREAD not, neither be afraid of them. Deuteronomy 1:29.

DREADABLE, adjective That is to be dreaded. [Not used.]

DREADED, participle passive Feared.

DREADER, noun One that fears, or lives in fear.

DREADFUL, adjective

1. Impressing great fear; terrible; formidable; as a dreadful storm, or dreadful night.

The great and dreadful day of the Lord. Malachi 4:5.

2. Awful; venerable.

How dreadful is this place. Genesis 48:1.

DREADFULLY, adverb Terribly; in a manner to be dreaded.

DREADFULNESS, noun Terribleness; the quality of being dreadful; frightfulness.

DREADLESS, adjective Fearless; bold; not intimidated; undaunted; free from fear or terror; intrepid.

DREADLESSNESS, noun Fearlessness; undauntedness; freedom from fear or terror; boldness.