# dare

> English word · Verb · IPA /dɛə/ · frequency rank #4,222

## Definitions
1. To have enough courage (to do something).
2. To defy or challenge (someone to do something).
3. To have enough courage to meet or do something, go somewhere, etc.; to face up to.
4. To terrify; to daunt.
5. To drive larks to the ground by scaring them (for instance, with mirrors or hawks) so they can be caught in nets.

## Etymology
From Middle English durren, from Old English durran, from Proto-West Germanic *durʀan, from Proto-Germanic *durzaną (“to dare”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰedʰórse (“to dare”), reduplicated stative of the root *dʰers- (“to be bold, to dare”), an *-s- extension of *dʰer- (“to hold, support”).
Cognates
Cognate with Low German dören, Dutch durven, German turren, Sanskrit दधर्ष (dadhárṣa), but also with Ancient Greek θρασύς (thrasús), Albanian nder, Lithuanian drįsti, Russian дерза́ть (derzátʹ).

## Easily confused with
- **Dr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dare-vs-dr)
- **de** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dare-vs-de)
- **day** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dare-vs-day)
- **due** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dare-vs-due)
- **die** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dare-vs-die)
- **dry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dare-vs-dry)
- **der** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dare-vs-der)
- **Dee** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dare-vs-dee)
- **doe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dare-vs-doe)
- **dye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dare-vs-dye)
- **das** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dare-vs-das)
- **dat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dare-vs-dat)
- **Dre** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dare-vs-dre)
- **DAW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dare-vs-daw)
- **Dax** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dare-vs-dax)
- **DRC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dare-vs-drc)
- **DRM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dare-vs-drm)
- **dor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dare-vs-dor)
- **DDR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dare-vs-ddr)
- **DNR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dare-vs-dnr)

## Common misspellings (4)
`adre`, `darre`, `ddare`, `drae`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/dare