Mawson, C.O.S., ed. (1870–1938). Roget’s International Thesaurus. 1922.
Class VI. Words Relating to the Sentient and Moral PowersSection II. Personal Affections
3. Prospective Affections
860. Fear.
TREPIDATION, flutter, fear and trembling, perturbation, tremor, quivering, shaking, trembling, throbbing heart, palpitation, ague fit, cold sweat; nervousness, restlessness &c. adj.; inquietude, disquietude, heartquake; abject fear (cowardice) [See Cowardice]; mortal funk [colloq.], heartsinking, despondency; despair [See Hopelessness].
batophobia, hypsophobia; claustrophobia; agoraphobia.
FRIGHT, affright [archaic], affrightment [archaic], boof [slang, U. S.], alarm, dread, awe, terror, horror, dismay, consternation, panic, scare, panic fear, panic terror; “terror by night” [Bible]; chute [N. U. S.], stampede [of horses].
INTIMIDATION, terrorism, reign of terror; terrorist.
[OBJECT OF FEAR] bugbear, bugaboo, scarecrow; hobgoblin (demon) [See Evil Spirits]; nightmare, Gorgon, mormo [obs.], ogre, Hurlothrumbo, raw head and bloody bones, fee-faw-fum, bête noire [F.], enfant terrible [F.].
ALARMIST (coward) [See Cowardice].
hesitate &c. (be irresolute) [See Irresolution]; falter, funk [colloq.], cower, crouch; skulk (cowardice) [See Cowardice]; take fright, take alarm; start, wince, flinch, shy, shrink, blench; fly (avoid) [See Avoidance].
grow pale, turn pale, stand aghast; be in a daze; not dare to say one’s soul is one’s own.
TREMBLE, shake; shiver, – in one’s shoes; shudder, flutter; shake -, tremble- -like an aspen leaf, – all over; quake, quaver, quiver, quail.
FRIGHTEN, fright, affright, terrify; inspire -, excite- -fear, – awe; raise apprehensions; bulldoze [colloq., U. S.], faze [colloq. or dial.], feeze or feaze [dial. Eng. & colloq. U. S.]; give -, raise -, sound- an alarm; alarm, startle, scare, cry “wolf,” disquiet, dismay, astound; frighten from one’s propriety; frighten out of one’s -wits, – senses, – seven senses; awe; strike all of a heap [colloq.], strike an awe into, strike terror; harrow up the soul, appall or appal, unman, petrify, horrify; pile on the agony.
make one’s -flesh creep, – hair stand on end, – blood run cold, – teeth chatter; take away -, stop- one’s breath; make one tremble &c.
DAUNT, put in fear, intimidate, cow, daunt, overawe, abash, deter, discourage; browbeat, bully; threaten [See Threat]; terrorize, put in bodily fear.
HAUNT, obsess, beset, besiege; prey -, weigh- on the mind.
fearing &c. v.; frightened &c. v.; in fear, in a fright &c. n.; haunted with the fear of &c. n.; afeard [obs. or dial.].
aghast; awe-struck, awe-stricken; horror-struck, horror-stricken; terror-struck, terror-stricken; panic-struck, panic-stricken; frightened to death, white as a sheet; pale, – as -death, – ashes, – a ghost; breathless, in hysterics.
INSPIRING FEAR &c. v.; alarming; formidable, redoubtable; perilous (danger) [See Danger]; portentous; fearful, dread, dreadful, fell, dire, direful, shocking, frightful, terrible, terrific, tremendous; horrid, horrible, horrific, ghastly, awful, aweinspiring; revolting (painful) [See Painfulness]; Gorgonian, Gorgon-like.
- Ante tubam trepidat.
- Horresco referens.
- One’s heart failing one.
- Obstupui steteruntque comæ et vox faucibus hæsit.—Vergil .
- A dagger of the mind.—Macbeth
- Expertus metuit.—Horace
- Letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would.”—Macbeth
- Fain would I climb but that I fear to fall.—Raleigh
- Fear is the parent of cruelty.—Froude
- Gorgons and hydras and chimeras dire.—Paradise Lost
- Omnia tuta timens.—Vergil
- Our fears do make us traitors.—Macbeth