Lewis & Short

1. formīdo, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. and n. [v. 2. formido], to fear, dread any thing; to be afraid, terrified, frightened (class.; syn.: metuo, timeo, vereor, trepido, tremo, paveo).

        1. (α) With acc.: illum, Plaut. Capt. 4, 4, 5: et illud paveo et hoc formido, id. Cist. 2, 1, 58: malum (shortly after: metuo malum), id. Am. prol. 27: ipse se cruciat omniaque formidat, Cic. Fin. 2, 16, 53: illius iracundiam formidant, id. Att. 8, 16, 2: ἀπότευγμα formido et timeo, ne, etc., id. Q. Fr. 3, 2, 2: cum formidet te mulier, Hor. S. 2, 7, 65: fures, id. ib. 1, 1, 77: acumen judicis, id. A. P. 364: nocturnos tepores, id. Ep. 1, 18, 93.
          In pass.: hic classe formidatus, Hor. C. 3, 6, 15: formidata Parthis Roma, id. Ep. 2, 1, 256: nautis formidatus Apollo (i. e. the temple of Apollo on the Leucadian promontory), Verg. A. 3, 275; cf.: nec formidatis auxiliatur aquis, i. e. the hydrophobia, Ov. P. 1, 3, 24: quo etiam satietas formidanda est magis, Cic. Or. 63, 213.
        2. (β) With inf.: si isti formidas credere, Plaut. Ps. 1, 3, 82; cf.: ad haec ego naribus uti Formido, Hor. Ep. 1, 19, 46: meus formidat animus, nostrum tam diu ibi sedere filium, Plaut. Bacch. 2, 3, 4.
        3. (γ) With ut or ne: aliquem non formido, ut, etc., Vop. Tac. 2, § 2: formido miser, ne, etc., Plaut. As. 2, 4, 55.
        4. (δ) With dat.: auro formidat Euclio: abstrudit foris, fears for the gold, Plaut. Aul. argum. 6.
          (ε) With si: male formido, si hera mea sciat tam socordem esse quam sum, Plaut. Cist. 4, 2, 4.
          (ζ) Absol.: intus paveo et foris formido, Plaut. Cist. 4, 2, 20: ne formida, id. Mil. 4, 2, 20; id. As. 2, 4, 56; 3, 3, 48; id. Mil. 3, 3, 20: neque prius desinam formidare, quam tetigisse te Italiam audiero, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 10, 1.

2. formīdo, ĭnis, f. [Sanscr. root dhar-, whence firmus; prop. the fear that makes rigid, Corss. Ausspr. 1, 148], fearfulness, fear, terror, dread (class.).

  1. I. Lit.: parasitus, qui me conplevit flagiti et formidinis, Plaut. Men. 5, 5, 3: popolo formidinem inicere, Furius ap. Macr. S. 3, 9, 8: Stoici definiunt formidinem metum permanentem, Cic. Tusc. 4, 8 fin.: ut aliqua in vita formido improbis esset posita, apud inferos antiqui supplicia constituta esse voluerunt, id. Cat. 4, 4, 8: quae tanta formido, id. Rosc. Am. 2, 5: neque miser me commovere possum prae formidine, Plaut. Am. 1. 1, 181: subita atque improvisa, Cic. Prov. Cons. 18, 43: formidinem suam alicui inicere, id. Verr. 2, 3, 28, § 68: formidinem inferre, Tac. H. 2, 15: intendere, id. ib. 2, 54: facere, id. ib. 3, 10: mortis, Cic. Rep. 1, 3; Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 207: poenae, id. ib. 1, 16, 53: fustis, id. ib. 2, 1, 154.
    In plur.: pericula intendantur, formidines opponantur, Cic. Quint. 14, 47: ex ignoratione rerum ipsa horribiles exsistunt formidines, id. Fin. 1, 19, 63: contra formidines pavoresque, Plin. 28, 8, 29, § 115.
    1. B. In partic., awe, reverence: (portae) religione sacrae et saevi formidine Martis, Verg. A. 7, 608; Sil. 1, 83.
  2. II. Transf., concr., that which produces fear, a frightful thing, a fright, horror.
    1. A. In gen.: alta ostia Ditis Et caligantem nigrā formidine lucum Ingressus, Verg. G. 4, 468; Front. de Fer. Als. 3: defensoribus moenium praemia modo, modo formidinem ostentare, Sall. J. 23, 1; 66, 1.
    2. B. In partic., a scarecrow made of differentcolored feathers, a bugbear: cum maximos ferarum greges linea pennis distincta contineat et in insidias agat, ab ipso effectu dicta formido, Sen. de 1ra, 2, 12 (cf. Nemes. Cyneg. 303 sq.): cervum puniceae septum formidine pennae, Verg. A. 12, 750; cf. Luc. 4, 437: furum aviumque Maxima formido, Hor. S. 1, 8, 4.
      Personified, as a goddess, Hyg. Fab. prooem. p. 10 Munk.