(1)害怕，畏惧(feeling fear or being frightened)[A(of)，A+to-inf]：Nothing can make me～.没有什么可以使我害怕的。look～显得害怕的样子;What was there to be～of? 有什么可怕的? be～of ghosts/death/lightning/the dark/snakes害怕鬼/死/闪电/黑暗/蛇;be～of nothing什么也不怕;be～of asking questions/going out alone不敢问问题/独自出门;be～to ask questions/to go near the dog不敢问问题/走近狗;I'm not to be made～by threats.威胁吓不倒我。〖同〗fearful，frightened，terrified，alarmed，scared;〖反〗fearless，bold，unafraid;

(2)担心(会)，惟恐(worried or anxious in case one may cause the possible result)[A(of)，A+that，A(for)]：be (terribly)～of getting lost /saying the wrong thing(极其)担心会迷路/说错话;be～(that) one might get lost/people would recognize him 担心会迷路/人们会认出他来;be～for one's life/(the safety of) one's child 为自己的生命/孩子(的安全)担心;〖反〗unafraid;

(3)恐怕(sorry for sth that has happened or is likely to happen)[A+that，A(so/not)]：I'm～(that)you're wrong/it is true.(You're wrong/It is true，I'm～.)恐怕你是错了/这是真的。“Can you tell me?” “I'm～not.”“你能告诉我吗?”“恐怕不能。”“Will the train be late?” “I'm～so.”“火车会晚点吗? ”“恐怕会的。”〖同〗sorry，regretful;〖反〗happy，pleased;

【惯用法】afraid不可用作名词的前置修饰语(此时用frightened)，只可用在连系动词后作主语补足语，有时也用作宾语补足语或名词的后置修饰语(见(1)中第一例);后接that从句时，that常省去。

【说明】用于第(1)义时可后接不定式或of+ing分词，意为“不敢做某事”，如：be～to go/of going through the wood(不敢从树林里走);用于第(2)义时也可接of+ing分词，如：be～of getting lost in the wood(担心会在树林里迷路)。再对比下面例句：She left a note and went out as she was～to waken/of wakening the officer.(她留下个字条就出去了，因为不敢叫醒那军官。)She closed the door very quietly as she was afraid of wakening the officer.(她关门很轻，因为担心会弄醒那军官。)

【辨异】afraid与scared、frightened和terrified都表示“害怕”。afraid 为最常用语，泛指一种恐惧心理，害怕的因由可大可小;scared(吃惊的)是非正式用语，表示轻微的、短时即逝的惊吓，如：be scared of spiders(怕蜘蛛);frightened(害怕的，受惊的)语体色彩较正式，表示程度较强的、突然的短时间惊吓(尤指由于意识到会造成身体伤害而产生者)，如：be frightened by (or about) an accident(被(因)事故吓坏了);terrified(惊恐的)则表示极度的惊恐，如：be terrified by an earthquake(被地震吓坏了)。