verb

anticipate with great apprehension or fear.

Jane was dreading the party

fear,be afraid of,worry about,be anxious about,have forebodings about,feel apprehensive about,be terrified by,cower at,tremble/shudder at,cringe from,shrink from,quail from,flinch from,have cold feet about,be in a blue funk about

noun

great fear or apprehension.

the thought of returning to London filled her with dread

fear,fearfulness,apprehension,trepidation,anxiety,worry,concern,foreboding,disquiet,disquietude,unease,uneasiness,angst,fright,panic,alarm,terror,horror,trembling,shuddering,flinching,the jitters,a blue funk,the heebie-jeebies