afraid

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♦ afraid /əfr'eɪd/
1 [ADJ] v-link ADJ, oft ADJ of n, ADJ to-inf
If you are afraid of someone or afraid to do something, you are frightened because you think that something very unpleasant is going to happen to you.
She did not seem at all afraid...
I was afraid of the other boys...
I'm still afraid to sleep in my own bedroom.
= frightened
2 [ADJ] v-link ADJ, usu ADJ for n
If you are afraid for someone else, you are worried that something horrible is going to happen to them.
She's afraid for her family in Somalia.
3 [ADJ] v-link ADJ, ADJ that, ADJ of -ing, ADJ to-inf
If you are afraid that something unpleasant will happen, you are worried that it may happen and you want to avoid it.
I was afraid that nobody would believe me...
The Government is afraid of losing the election...
4 [PHRASE] PHR with cl, PHR that
If you want to apologize to someone or to disagree with them in a polite way, you can say I'm afraid. (SPOKEN)
We don't have anything like that, I'm afraid...
I'm afraid I can't help you...

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