fearfully-attached
|fear-ful-ly-at-tached|
🇺🇸
/ˈfɪr.fəl.i əˈtætʃt/
🇬🇧
/ˈfɪə.fəl.i əˈtætʃt/
emotionally dependent due to fear
Etymology
'fearfully-attached' originates from the combination of 'fearfully' and 'attached', where 'fearfully' is derived from 'fear' meaning 'an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm', and 'attached' from 'attach' meaning 'to fasten or join one thing to another'.
'fearfully-attached' evolved from the combination of the words 'fearfully' and 'attached', which have been used in English since the Middle Ages.
Initially, 'fearfully-attached' meant being connected with fear, but over time it evolved to describe an emotional dependency due to fear or anxiety.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
describes a state of being overly dependent or emotionally connected to someone or something, often due to fear or anxiety.
She was fearfully-attached to her childhood home, unable to imagine living anywhere else.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/03/28 20:56