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Dread vs Fright - What's the difference?

dread | fright | Synonyms |

Fright is a synonym of dread.



In archaic terms the difference between dread and fright

is that dread is awe-inspiring; held in fearful awe while fright is to frighten.

As verbs the difference between dread and fright

is that dread is to fear greatly while fright is to frighten.

As nouns the difference between dread and fright

is that dread is great fear in view of impending evil; fearful apprehension of danger; anticipatory terror while fright is a state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger; sudden and violent fear, usually of short duration; a sudden alarm.

As an adjective dread

is terrible; greatly feared.

dread

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To fear greatly.
  • To anticipate with fear.
    • I'm dreading getting the results of the test, as it could decide my whole life.
  • * 1877 , (Anna Sewell), (Black Beauty) Chapter 22[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Black_Beauty/22]
    • Day by day, hole by hole our bearing reins were shortened, and instead of looking forward with pleasure to having my harness put on as I used to do, I began to dread it.
  • To be in dread, or great fear.
  • * Bible, Deuteronomy i. 29
    • Dread not, neither be afraid of them.

    Derived terms

    * dreadable * dreadworthy

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Great fear in view of impending evil; fearful apprehension of danger; anticipatory terror.
  • * Tillotson
    • the secret dread of divine displeasure
  • * Shakespeare
    • the dread of something after death
  • * '>citation
  • Reverential or respectful fear; awe.
  • * Bible, Genesis ix 2.
    • The fear of you, and the dread of you, shall be upon every beast of the earth.
  • * Shakespeare
    • His sceptre shows the force of temporal power, / The attribute to awe and majesty, / Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings.
  • Somebody or something dreaded.
  • (obsolete) A person highly revered.
  • * Spenser
    • Una, his dear dread
  • (obsolete) Fury; dreadfulness.
    • (Spenser)
  • A Rastafarian.
  • (chiefly, in the plural) dreadlock

    • Adjective

    (er)
  • Terrible; greatly feared.
  • (archaic) Awe-inspiring; held in fearful awe.
  • *

    • See also

    * dreadlocks * dreadnought

    Anagrams

    * * *

    fright

    English

    Noun

    (wikipedia fright)
  • A state of terror excited by the sudden appearance of danger; sudden and violent fear, usually of short duration; a sudden alarm.
  • * 1994 , (Stephen Fry), (The Hippopotamus) Chapter 2:
    • With a bolt of fright he remembered that there was no bathroom in the Hobhouse Room. He leapt along the corridor in a panic, stopping by the long-case clock at the end where he flattened himself against the wall.
  • Anything strange, ugly or shocking, producing a feeling of alarm or aversion.
  • * 1819 , Lord Byron, Don Juan , I:
    • Her maids were old, and if she took a new one,
    You might be sure she was a perfect fright ;
    She did this during even her husband's life
    I recommend as much to every wife.

    Derived terms

    * fright wig

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (archaic) to frighten