dare

Etymology 1

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).

verb

1. (intransitive) To have enough courage (to do something).
   I wouldn't dare (to) argue with my boss.
   Why then did not the ministers use their new law? Because they durst not, because they could not. 1832, Thomas Macaulay, Parliamentary Reform
2. (transitive) To defy or challenge (someone to do something)
   I dare you to kiss that girl.
3. (transitive) To have enough courage to meet or do something, go somewhere, etc.; to face up to
   Will you dare death to reach your goal?
   To wrest it from barbarism, to dare its solitudes. 1886, Clarence King, The Century
4. (transitive) To terrify; to daunt.
5. (transitive) To catch (larks) by producing terror through the use of mirrors, scarlet cloth, a hawk, etc., so that they lie still till a net is thrown over them.

noun

1. A challenge to prove courage.
2. The quality of daring; venturesomeness; boldness.
3. Defiance; challenge.
4. (games) In the game truth or dare, the choice to perform a dare set by the other players.
   When asked truth or dare, she picked dare.

Etymology 2

From Middle English, from Old English darian.

verb

1. (obsolete) To stare stupidly or vacantly; to gaze as though amazed or terrified.
2. (obsolete) To lie or crouch down in fear.

Etymology 3

noun

1. A small fish, the dace
   The Dare is not unlike a Chub, but proportionably less; his Body is more white and flatter, and his Tail more forked. 1766, Richard Brookes, The art of angling, rock and sea-fishing