FOR FEAR OF Definition & Meaning

for fear of

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Idioms and Phrases

Also, for fear that . In order to avoid or prevent, in case of. For example, They closed all the windows for fear of rain . The variant is always used before a clause, as in She wouldn't let her children climb trees for fear that they would fall . The first term dates from the late 1400s, the second from about 1600.

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Example Sentences

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The employees asked not to be named for fear of retribution.

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He asked for his name not to be published for fear of reprisals, so we are calling him "Omar".

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“I just tried to do by rules and wait,” said Slavik, who asked to be identified by his nickname for fear of retribution.

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We couldn't spend a lot of time at the hospital for fear of being apprehended by the police or military.

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Many industry figures and Wessex Water staff have been reluctant to comment publicly for fear of jeopardising future work in an industry with few employers.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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for fear of

Idioms and Phrases

Example Sentences