adj.
- Filled with fear: afraid of ghosts; afraid to die; afraid for his life.
- Having feelings of aversion or unwillingness in regard to something: not afraid of hard work; afraid to show emotion.
- Filled with regret or concern. Used especially to soften an unpleasant statement: I'm afraid you're wrong.
[Middle English affraied, past participle of affraien, to frighten, from Old French esfraier, esfreer, to disturb, of Germanic origin.]
SYNONYMS afraid, apprehensive, fearful. These adjectives mean full of or given to fear: afraid of snakes; feeling apprehensive before surgery; fearful of criticism.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
