afraid

Etymology

From Middle English affrayed, affraied, past participle of afraien (“to affray”), from Anglo-Norman afrayer (“to terrify, disquiet, disturb”), from Old French effreer, esfreer (“to disturb, remove the peace from”), from es- (“out”) + freer (“to secure, secure the peace”), from Frankish *friþu (“security, peace”), from Proto-Germanic *friþuz (“peace”), from Proto-Germanic *frijōną (“to free; to love”), from Proto-Indo-European *prāy-, *prēy- (“to like, love”). Synchronically analyzable as affray + -ed. Compare also afeard. More at free, friend.

adj

1. Impressed with fear or apprehension; in fear.
   He is afraid of death.
   He is afraid to die.
   He is afraid that he will die.
   I went through the worst Ku Klux proposition in the country at the time it was at its height. And I had to go down to the Ku Klux meeting and tell them what I thought of them, and I wasn't afraid of them at all. And I'm not afraid of this situation because I think it'll work out in a way that when these people sit down and get a chance to think and study the situation, they're going to be ashamed of some of the things they've done. 1964, Harry S. Truman, 2:28 from the start, in MP2002-77 Former President Truman Discusses Bigotry in the United States, Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives Identifier: 595162
2. (colloquial) Regretful, sorry; expressing a reluctance to face an unpleasant situation.
   I am afraid I cannot help you in this matter.
3. (used with for) Worried about, feeling concern for, fearing for (someone or something).