DAREabbr. Dictionary of American Regional Englishdare (dâr)v. dared, dar·ing, dares v.tr.1. To have the courage required for: The gymnast dared a breathtakingly difficult move.2. To challenge (someone) to do something requiring boldness: They dared me to dive off the high board.3. To confront boldly; brave: dared the dizzying heights of the mountain. See Synonyms at defy.v.intr. To be courageous or bold enough to do or try something: Go ahead and dive if you dare.v.aux. To be courageous or bold enough to: I dare not say. How dare she go?n. An act of daring; a challenge.[Middle English daren, from Old English dearr, first and third person sing. present indicative of durran, to venture, dare; see dhers- in Indo-European roots.]dar?er n.Usage Note: Depending on its sense, the verb dare sometimes behaves like an auxiliary verb (such as can or may) and sometimes like a main verb (such as want or try). When used as an auxiliary verb, dare does not change to agree with its subject: He dare not do that again. It also does not combine with do in questions, negations, or certain other constructions: Dare we tell her the truth? I dare not mention their names. Finally, it does not take to before the verb that follows it: If you dare breathe a word about it, I’ll never speak to you again. When used as a main verb, dare does agree with its subject (If he dares to show up at her house I’ll be surprised), and it does combine with do (Did anyone dare to admit it?). It may optionally take to before the verb following it: No one dares (or dares to) speak freely about the political situation. The auxiliary forms differ subtly in meaning from the main verb forms in that they emphasize the attitude or involvement of the speaker while the main verb forms present a more objective situation. Thus How dare you operate this machinery without proper training? expresses indignation at the action, whereas How do you dare to operate this machinery without proper training? is a genuine request for information. When dare is used as a transitive verb meaning “challenge,” only main verb forms are possible and to is required: Anyone who dares him to attempt it will be sorry.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.dare (d??) vb1. (tr) to challenge (a person to do something) as proof of courage2. (can take an infinitive with or without to) to be courageous enough to try (to do something): she dares to dress differently from the others; you wouldn’t dare!. 3. (tr) rare to oppose without fear; defy4. I dare say I daresay a. (it is) quite possible (that)b. probably: used as sentence substituten5. a challenge to do something as proof of courage6. something done in response to such a challenge[Old English durran; related to Old High German turran to venture] ?darer nUsage: When used negatively or interrogatively, dare does not usually add -s: he dare not come; dare she come? When used negatively in the past tense, however, dare usually adds -d: he dared not comeCollins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014dare (d??r) v. dared, daring; pres. sing. 3rd pers. dares dare, v.i. 1. to have the necessary courage or boldness for something; be bold enough: You wouldn’t dare! v.t. 2. to have the boldness to try; venture; hazard. 3. to meet defiantly; face courageously. 4. to challenge or provoke (a person) into a demonstration of courage: I dare you to climb that. auxiliary v. 5. to have the necessary courage or boldness to (used chiefly in questions and negatives): How dare you speak to me like that? He dare not mention the subject again. n. 6. an act of daring or defiance; challenge. Idioms: dare say, daresay. [before 900; Middle English dar (v.), Old English dear(r), derivative of durran] dar?er, n. Dare (d??r) n. Virginia, 1587??, first child born of English parents in the Western Hemisphere. Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.dare1. used as an intransitive verbIf you dare to do something, you have the courage to do it. You use dare on its own, or with an infinitive with or without to.In this meaning, dare is often used in negative sentences and questions.If someone daren’t do something, they don’t have enough courage to do it.In American English, the contraction ‘daren’t’ is not used. American English uses the full form dare not instead.Be Careful!You must use an infinitive without to after daren’t and dare not. Don’t say, for example, ‘I daren’t to ring Jeremy again’.If you are talking about the past, you say that someone did not dare do something or didn’t dare do something. After did not dare and didn’t dare you can use an infinitive with or without to.In formal writing, you can say that someone dares not do something. Dare not is always followed by an infinitive without to.In other kinds of negative sentence, you can use an infinitive with or without to after dare.In yes/no-questions, you put the base form dare in front of the subject without using an auxiliary verb or modal. After the subject, you use an infinitive without to.In wh-questions, you use a modal such as would in front of dare. After dare, you use an infinitive with or without to.If you dare someone to do something, you challenge them to prove that they are not frightened of doing it.You say I dare say or I daresay to show that you think that something is probably true.Be Careful!I dare say is a fixed phrase. Don’t say, for example, ‘You dare say’ or ‘I dare to say’.