fear
/fɪə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /fɪr/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfir/ (ame, mw) · /fɪər/ (bre, ipa)
fear — 名詞
- fearsingular
- fearsplural
1. the strong unpleasant feeling you get in your body and mind when danger or harm
恐懼
面對危險或不確定時產生的負面感受
the strong unpleasant feeling you get in your body and mind when danger or harm seems near or when you believe something bad could happen
Gita felt a sudden fear when she heard footsteps behind her on the dark street.
Gita 在黑暗的街上聽到身後有腳步聲時，突然感到一陣恐懼。
The fear of losing her job kept Ziad awake at night for weeks.
害怕失去工作的恐懼讓 Ziad 連續好幾個晚上都睡不著。
collocation: fear of + gerund
Paloma's fear of flying made her take the train across the country instead.
Paloma 有飛行恐懼症，所以選擇搭火車穿越全國，而不是坐飛機。
Aoi could not hide the fear in her voice as she described the accident.
Aoi 在描述車禍時，無法掩飾聲音中的恐懼。
Eli lived in constant fear of another earthquake after the big one destroyed his village.
Eli 住的村莊被大地震摧毀後，他一直活在隨時可能再次地震的恐懼中。
文法句型
fear + of + noun/gerund
fear + that-clause
常見錯誤
2. a state of being afraid for your own survival because someone or something could
性命之憂
擔心自己可能遇害或受重傷的恐懼
a state of being afraid for your own survival because someone or something could cause you great harm
Eli lived in constant fear for his life during the war.
戰爭期間，Eli 一直活在性命隨時不保的恐懼中。
phrase: in fear for one's life
The witness was in fear of being attacked if she went to court.
那位證人擔心出庭作證後會遭到攻擊。
Miners often work in fear of a tunnel collapse deep underground.
礦工工作時經常擔心坑道會在地下深處崩塌。
Joshua stayed hidden in the basement for fear of the soldiers outside.
Joshua 躲在地下室裡，因為害怕外面的士兵。
- safety
the state of being free from danger or threat
文法句型
for fear of + noun/gerund
in fear of + noun
用法筆記
Typically used in the fixed expressions 'in fear of (one's life)' and 'for fear of + noun/gerund'. The phrase 'for fear of' explains why someone avoids doing something.
常見錯誤
3. expresses the idea that a particular situation or event has absolutely no chance
絕無可能
表示某件事完全沒有發生的機會
expresses the idea that a particular situation or event has absolutely no chance of happening
There is no fear of the river flooding now that the new dam is finished.
新水壩完工後，這條河絕不可能再氾濫了。
phrase: no fear of [something]
Élise told her mother there was no fear that she would miss the last train.
Élise 告訴媽媽她絕對不會錯過最後一班火車。
No fear of that! The bridge was built to survive even the strongest storms.
絕對不可能！這座橋連最強的暴風雨都能承受。
With the new security system in place there is no fear of anyone breaking in.
有了新的安全系統，完全不用擔心有人會闖進來。
- no chance
more direct and informal; simply states impossibility
- possibility
a situation in which something might happen
- risk
a chance that something bad might happen
文法句型
there is no fear of + noun/gerund
no fear that + clause
用法筆記
Common in British English. 'No fear!' can also stand alone as an informal reply meaning 'definitely not' or 'certainly not'.
常見錯誤
4. the reason someone acts or refuses to act in a certain way — they are afraid som
顧慮
擔心某件壞事發生而採取的行動或避免的行為
the reason someone acts or refuses to act in a certain way — they are afraid something bad will take place if they do not
Liam stayed quiet for fear that his answer would make the teacher angry.
Liam 保持安靜，顧慮到自己的回答會讓老師生氣。
phrase: for fear that + clause
Sade locked all the windows for fear of thieves breaking in during the night.
Sade 鎖上了所有的窗戶，擔心小偷晚上會闖進來。
Lan wrote down the address for fear of forgetting it on the way to the party.
Lan 把地址寫了下來，怕在去派對的路上忘了。
The company kept the news secret for fear that staff would quit before the project ended.
公司對這則消息保密，擔心員工會在專案結束前辭職。
文法句型
for fear that + clause
for fear of + gerund
用法筆記
This sense only works within the phrase 'for fear (that/of)'. It explains the motive behind an action. It is not a stand-alone noun meaning 'worry'.
常見錯誤
5. a feeling of deep respect and awe, especially towards God, a spiritual power, or
敬畏之心
對神明或崇高事物產生的敬重與畏服
a feeling of deep respect and awe, especially towards God, a spiritual power, or something very powerful and mysterious in nature
The monks live with a deep fear of God that guides all their daily actions.
這些僧侶心懷對上帝的深深敬畏，這份敬畏引導著他們日常的一切行為。
collocation: fear of God
Christopher looked up at the old mountains with a sense of fear and wonder.
Christopher 仰望古老的山脈，心中充滿了敬畏與驚奇。
Pim explained that in his monastery, the fear of God is seen as the beginning of wisdom.
Pim 解釋說，在他的修道院裡，對上帝的敬畏被視為智慧的開端。
Zuri spoke of the sacred forest with fear in her voice, as if it were alive.
Zuri 談到那片神聖森林時，語氣中帶著敬畏，彷彿森林是有生命的。
- awe
a feeling of amazed respect mixed with fear or wonder
- reverence
deep respect for someone or something, often in a religious context
- veneration
great respect shown through religious or traditional practices
- disrespect
lack of respect or politeness
- contempt
the feeling that something is worthless or beneath notice
文法句型
fear of + noun
用法筆記
Frequently appears in religious and literary contexts. 'The fear of God' is a set phrase found in the Bible and religious texts — it means reverent awe, not terror.
常見錯誤
fear — 動詞
- fearpresent simple I / you / we / they
- fears3rd person singular
- fearing-ing form
- fearedpast simple
1. to feel afraid of someone or something because you think they may cause you pain
害怕
對某人或某事感到恐懼
to feel afraid of someone or something because you think they may cause you pain, harm, or trouble
Pim fears dogs ever since one bit him when he was a small child.
Pim 從小被狗咬過之後就一直怕狗。
transitive: fear + noun
Many people fear the dentist and put off their check-ups for years.
很多人怕看牙醫，把檢查拖延了好幾年。
The old fisherman did not fear the storm because he knew these waters well.
那位老漁夫不害怕暴風雨，因為他很熟悉這片海域。
Gabriela fears nothing — she climbed that rock face without ropes or help.
Gabriela 什麼都不怕——她徒手攀上了那片岩壁。
Salma fears for her grandmother's health during the cold winter months.
Salma 擔心奶奶在寒冷的冬天裡身體會撐不住。
- be afraid of
more common in everyday speech; 'fear' is slightly more formal
- be scared of
informal, very common in conversation
- dread
stronger; to fear something that has not happened yet and believe it will be terrible
文法句型
fear + noun/pronoun
fear + to-infinitive
fear for + noun
用法筆記
This verb is a stative verb and is almost never used in continuous forms. Say 'I fear the test', not 'I am fearing the test'.
常見錯誤
2. to feel troubled or uneasy about a possible bad outcome or about something that
擔憂
擔心壞事可能已經或即將發生
to feel troubled or uneasy about a possible bad outcome or about something that has possibly gone wrong for someone close to you
Henry feared that his flight would be cancelled because of the heavy snow.
Henry 擔心他的航班會因為大雪而取消。
structure: fear + that-clause
The rescue team fears the missing climbers may not have enough food left.
搜救隊擔心失蹤的登山者可能沒有足夠的食物了。
Quinn feared for his younger brother who had not come home from school yet.
Quinn 擔心他的弟弟，因為弟弟放學後還沒有回家。
Doctors fear that the disease could spread to other towns if not stopped soon.
醫生擔心這種疾病若不盡快遏止，可能會擴散到其他城鎮。
- worry
more common in conversation; 'fear' suggests a stronger, more serious concern
- be concerned
more formal and less emotionally intense than 'fear'
- be certain
to have no doubt that something will happen
- trust
to believe that everything will be fine
文法句型
fear + that-clause
fear + for + noun
用法筆記
The that-clause can be introduced with or without 'that': 'I fear he is late' is as correct as 'I fear that he is late'. This sense often expresses concern for someone's safety or well-being.
常見錯誤
3. used as a polite or formal way to tell someone something unpleasant or disappoin
遺憾告知
以禮貌方式告知對方不好的消息
used as a polite or formal way to tell someone something unpleasant or disappointing, often news that you wish were not true
I fear we have no choice but to cancel the school trip this year.
恐怕我們今年別無選擇，只能取消校外教學了。
register: formal 'I fear' as polite opener
I fear there has been a mistake in the calculations for your salary.
恐怕你的薪資計算出現了錯誤。
I fear the old library will have to close because the city has no money left.
恐怕舊圖書館不得不關閉，因為市政府的經費已經用完了。
I fear I cannot attend the wedding next Saturday after all.
恐怕我終究無法參加下週六的婚禮了。
- I'm afraid
less formal than 'I fear'; very common in everyday British English ('I'm afraid I can't come')
- regret to say
more formal; common in official letters and announcements
文法句型
I fear + that-clause
用法筆記
Almost always used in the first person singular 'I fear'. It is a set phrase that softens bad news. Not used in questions or negative forms in this sense.
常見錯誤
4. to feel deep respect and awe toward a divine being, a sacred object, or somethin
敬畏
對神聖事物心懷敬重與畏服
to feel deep respect and awe toward a divine being, a sacred object, or something majestic in nature — the feeling combines respect, wonder, and a sense of one's own smallness
The villagers fear the ancient volcano as if it were a living god.
村民敬畏那座古老的火山，彷彿它是活的神明。
formal: fear + sacred/majestic object
In the old stories people feared the forest spirits and left offerings for them.
在古老的故事裡，人們敬畏森林的精靈，並為牠們留下供品。
Ilan does not fear God in the way his grandparents did, but he still prays.
Ilan 敬畏上帝的方式和他祖父母不一樣，但他仍然會祈禱。
After watching a mudslide sweep away the road, Lan learned to fear the mountain's power.
親眼目睹土石流沖走道路之後，Lan 學會了敬畏那座山的力量。
- revere
to feel deep respect and admiration; less religious than 'fear' in this sense
- be in awe of
to feel a mix of respect, wonder, and slight fear; common in modern English
- venerate
to regard with great respect, especially in a religious context; very formal
文法句型
fear + noun
用法筆記
Archaic or literary register. Modern speakers usually use 'stand in awe of' or 'revere' instead. When 'fear God' appears today, it is typically in religious communities rather than everyday conversation.