fearless, a.
(ˈfɪəlɪs)
[f. fear n.1 + -less.]
Without fear.
1. a. Unaffected by fear; bold, intrepid. Const. of; rarely, with inf.
| a 1400–50 Alexander 4993 Ȝone is a fereles foule. 1591 Spenser Tears of Muses 303 Feareles..To tumble. 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. iv. ii. 151 A man..fearelesse of what's past, present, or to come. a 1639 W. Whately Prototypes i. xxi. (1640) 249 He..hath a bold audatious fearlesse heart. 1709 Steele Tatler No. 65 ¶2 The Hero stood as fearless as if invulnerable. 1784 Cowper Task i. 15 The hardy chief..Fearless of wrong, repos'd his weary strength. 1820 Keats St. Agnes xxxix, Arise! my love and fearless be. 1870–4 Anderson Missions Amer. Bd. III. xiii. 218 The fearless missionary spent ten days with these ‘deceitful and bloody’ men. |
† b. Without doubt about; confident
of.
Obs.| 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 78 He was fearelesse of his establishment in his Fathers Royalties. |
c. Of the bearing, demeanour, etc.: Showing no sign of fear.
| 1803 Mackintosh Def. Peltier Wks. 1846 III. 242, I have said, a fearless defence. 1815 ― Sp. in Ho. Com. 27 Apr. ibid. 317 The uncourtly and fearless turbulence of this House. 1848 W. H. Bartlett Egypt to Pal. v. (1879) 116 The Hebrew historian moves over it with a fearless step. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 430 His mien and his language were..noble and fearless. |
† 2. a. Not regarded with fear.
b. Giving no cause for fear, free from danger.
Obs.| 1599 Sylvester Miracle Peace xxix, Scap't from ship-wrack..and..shiuering on the feareless bank. 1600 Holland Livy xxv. xxxviii. (1609) 578 Men are least..secured against that which fortune saith is fearelesse. 1614 Bp. Hall Recoll. Treat. 988 He [God] can..make him [Satan] if not usefull, yet fearelesse. 1745 Warburton Serm. 1 Pet. ii. 17 p. 8 So..will an honourless King promote the Worship of a fear⁓less God. |
3. Comb. Parasynthetic, as
fearless-eyed,
fearless-looking,
fearless-seeming.
| 1925 J. Gregory Bab of Backwoods x. 127 Bright-eyed, quick-eyed, fearless-eyed. |
| 1864 J. A. Grant Walk across Africa vi. 91 There are also wild-cats..very bold, fearless-looking creatures. |
| 1915 D. H. Lawrence Rainbow xii. 314 A fearless-seeming, clean type of modern girl. |