Emily Dickinson Lexicon

FEAR, v.t. [Sax. færan, afæran, to impress fear, to terrify; D. vaaren, to put in fear, to disorder, to derange; L. vereor. In Sax. and Dutch, the verb coincides in elements with fare, to go or depart, and the sense seems to be to scare or drive away. Qu. Syr. and Ar. نَفَرَ nafara, to flee or be fearful. See Class Br, No. 46, 33.]

1. To feel a painful apprehension of some impending evil; to be afraid of; to consider or expect with emotions of alarm or solicitude. We fear the approach of an enemy or of a storm. We have reason to fear the punishment of our sins. I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Ps. xxiii.
2. To reverence; to have a reverential awe; to venerate. This I do, and live, for I fear God. Gen. xlii.
3. To affright; to terrify; to drive away or prevent approach by fear, or by a scare-crow. [This seems to be the primary meaning, but now obsolete.] We must not make a scarecrow of the law, / Setting it up to fear the birds of prey. Shak.