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2.2.1.3.2   dare

Dare is both a helping verb and a main verb.

2.2.1.3.2.1     When dare is used as a helping verb, it is used to express having the courage to do 
                      something, often in negative, with infinitive with or without to. Its form, again, does
                      not change with person, nor with singular or plural subjects. For example:

  •   It is a story he dare not (to) write down.

  •   The government dare not (to) raise interest rates again.

2.2.1.3.2.2    When dare is used as a main verb, it can mean ‘challenge somebody’ and requires
                       an object, or ‘to be brave enough or rude enough to do something.’ Any verb that
                       follows it is in the to infinitive or an infinitive without to. For example:

  •  Come on, I dare you!

  •  He doesn’t dare (to) go there.

2.2.1.3.2.3     My confusion

I've often found it confusing to use semi-modal verbs between their helping verb and main verb functions. Here are the examples with dare:

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the dare used in the first sentence below is a main verb, and dare used in the second sentence is a semi-modal verb:

  •  No one dares (to) go there.  (main verb)

  •  No one dare go there.  (semi-modal verb)

The Cambridge Dictionary also says the dare used in the expression “How dare you” is used as a semi-modal verb, and that we don’t use infinitive with to after dare in the expression. Therefore, “How dare you suggest she was lazy!” is correct, and that “How dare you to suggest she was lazy!” is wrong. 

I've always thought the dare used in the expression “How dare you” is used as a main verb!

The Longman Dictionary gives the sentence “Not many people dared argue” as an example of dare being used as a semi-modal verb. I would think dare here in the sentence is used as a main verb before an infinitive

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