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Dread vs Reverence - What's the difference?

dread | reverence | Synonyms |

As verbs the difference between dread and reverence

is that dread is to fear greatly while reverence is to show reverence.

As nouns the difference between dread and reverence

is that dread is great fear in view of impending evil; fearful apprehension of danger; anticipatory terror while reverence is veneration; profound awe and respect, normally in a sacred context.

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

    * * *

    reverence

    English

    Noun

  • Veneration; profound awe and respect, normally in a sacred context.
  • An act of showing respect, such as a bow.
  • * Goldsmith
    • Make twenty reverences upon receiving about twopence.
  • The state of being revered.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • When discords, and quarrels, and factions, are carried openly and audaciously, it is a sign the reverence of government is lost.
  • A form of address for some members of the clergy.
    • your reverence
  • That which deserves or exacts manifestations of reverence; reverend character; dignity; state.
  • * Shakespeare
    • I am forced to lay my reverence by.

    Derived terms

    * reverent (pos a) * revere (pos v) * reverently (pos adv)

    Verb

  • To show reverence.
    • ----