dare

dare — 動詞

1. to be willing to go through with frightening, difficult, or socially embarrassin

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

敢

有勇氣去做困難或危險的事

to be willing to go through with frightening, difficult, or socially embarrassing acts despite your fear

例句

Eitan did not dare to argue with his strict teacher, so he stayed quiet.

Eitan 不敢跟嚴格的老師爭辯，所以保持沉默。

negative main verb: did not dare + to-infinitive

I hardly dare breathe when my father is in a bad mood.

爸爸心情不好的時候，我幾乎連呼吸都不敢。

同義詞
  • venture

    more formal; implies a calculated risk, often in unfamiliar territory

  • have the nerve

    informal; emphasises social boldness rather than physical courage

反義詞

文法句型

dare + (to-)infinitive

dare not + bare infinitive (modal)

do not dare + to-infinitive (main verb)

用法筆記

In negative and interrogative sentences, 'dare' can behave as a modal verb (no 'to' after it, no auxiliary 'do'), especially in British English: 'I daren't ask.' In positive statements, it always behaves as a regular main verb: 'She dared to disagree.' Common fixed expressions include 'how dare you' (anger or shock), 'don't you dare' (warning), and 'I dare say' (supposition).

常見錯誤

❌I dare not to go.
✅I dare not go.' (modal pattern)
💡In the negative modal pattern, do not add 'to' between 'dare' and the main verb.
❌She didn't dared to answer.
✅She didn't dare to answer.
💡After 'did', use the base form 'dare', not 'dared'.

2. to urge someone to do a risky or embarrassing thing as a way of showing that the

2.動詞及物B1
釋義

激將

激勵或挑釁他人去做有風險的事

to urge someone to do a risky or embarrassing thing as a way of showing that they are brave

例句

The children dared each other to jump from the old bridge into the cold river.

孩子們互相激將，要對方從舊橋跳進冰冷的河裡。

dare + object + to-infinitive

Reuben dared his little sister to eat a whole lemon, and she actually did it.

Reuben 用激將法讓他妹妹吃了一整顆檸檬，她居然真的吃了。

同義詞
  • challenge

    more general; does not specifically test courage

  • provoke

    stronger; intended to cause anger or irritation rather than to test bravery

文法句型

dare + someone + to-infinitive

用法筆記

Most commonly used in the expression 'I dare you to…' as a playful or competitive challenge between friends, especially among children and teenagers. The person making the dare expects the other person to feel nervous about accepting.

常見錯誤

❌I dare you jumping over the wall.
✅I dare you to jump over the wall.
💡The verb after the object must be a to-infinitive, not a gerund.
❌She dared me and I accepted.
✅She dared me to do it, and I accepted.
💡The verb 'dare' in this sense usually needs the action specified.

3. to openly resist or refuse to obey a person, rule, or system that has power, kno

3.動詞及物B2
釋義

公然反抗

無視權威或規定，明知後果仍公開抵抗

to openly resist or refuse to obey a person, rule, or system that has power, knowing there could be negative consequences

例句

A group of teenagers dared the school rules by wearing baseball caps in class.

一群青少年公然反抗校規，在課堂上戴棒球帽。

dare + noun (rule/authority/danger)

Dewi dared the winter storm and drove into the mountains to find her missing brother.

Dewi 無視冬季風雪，開車進山區尋找失蹤的弟弟。

同義詞
  • defy

    very close in meaning; 'defy' may feel slightly less confrontational

  • brave

    specifically for facing danger or unpleasantness with courage

反義詞
  • submit to

    accept the authority of someone or something

  • obey

    follow rules or orders without resistance

文法句型

dare + noun phrase (rule / authority / danger)

用法筆記

Stronger than 'disobey'; implies doing something openly while fully aware of the risk. The object is often an abstract authority (law, convention, fate) or a dangerous natural force (storm, sea, wilderness).

常見錯誤

❌He dared his boss by coming late.
✅He dared his boss's anger by coming late.
💡This sense requires an object that the person is defying, not a person being challenged.

dare — 名詞