0 an unpleasant emotion or thought that you have when you are frightened or worried by something dangerous, painful, or bad that is happening or might happen: --
They wouldn't let their cat outside for fear (that) it would get run over.
Greta knows the city well, so there's no fear of us getting lost (= we will not get lost).
Lakisha sat inside, in fear of her life, until the police came.
[ + that ] There are fears that the disease will spread to other countries.
I have a fear of heights.
Even when the waves grew big, the boy showed no (signs of) fear.
Trembling with fear, she handed over the money to the gunman.
1 to be frightened of something or someone unpleasant: --
[ + (that) ] I fear (that) she's already left.
[ + to infinitive ] Fearing to go herself, she sent her son to find out the news.
formal It is feared (that) as many as two hundred passengers may have died in the crash.
[ + (that) ] Police fear (that) the couple may have drowned.
What do you fear most?
Most older employees fear unemployment.
2 a strong emotion caused by great worry about something dangerous, painful, or unknown that is happening or might happen: --
3 to be frightened about someone or something unpleasant: --
Railroads gave rise to new geo-strategic considerations, and aroused new fears and visions, both militarily and economically.
Catholics claimed that they feared the seigneurs, who ' had always oppressed them ', presumably by denying them the freedom to worship publicly in their own church.
He discovered he could extend his own influence by fanning the ecclesiastics' fears that the emperor was no longer the best guarantor of their autonomy.
As was feared, the magnitude of bad loans discovered at the bank upon its collapse was of a much larger magnitude than disclosed earlier.
When the patients experience fears or terminal illness, emotional support becomes important.
People who presumed that their names appeared in lists of suspects feared to petition the authorities for travel documents.
Discussed women's fears and expectations about changes in their bodies and feelings of sexuality due to cancer and its treatment.
Is the scheme meeting your expectations - hopes and fears?
