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Historical Examples

“I’m afeared the little lady will soil her pretty frock,” he remarked, with another pull at his forelock.
Reels and Spindles Evelyn Raymond

I’m afeared of what d’you call ’ems, some tomfoolery, you know.
The Power of Darkness Leo Tolstoy

“Sammy needn’t be afeared,” continued Pete, seeing the look on the girl’s face.
The Shepherd of the Hills Harold Bell Wright

“The least said the soonest mended about that one, I’m afeared,” said the dame.
The Vicar of Bullhampton Anthony Trollope

I’m afeared I was born for a hard fate, an’ that the day of my doom isn’t far from me.
The Black Prophet: A Tale Of Irish Famine William Carleton

She would put a horse at a jump, though she was afeared of it.
The Wind Bloweth Brian Oswald Donn-Byrne

There’s a big tear in my shoulder, an’ I’m afeared I’ve made my last cruise.
Frank Merriwell Down South Burt L. Standish

You’re afeared to go to law—Levi West—you try th’ law—and see how ye like it.
Howard Pyle’s Book of Pirates Howard Pyle

We’re afeared they’ll get all the gold in the Klondike country if we don’t hurry.
Klondike Nuggets E. S. Ellis

Well, all I can say is, I never seen you afeared to go to say before.
Stories of Comedy Various

adjective
(postpositive) an archaic or dialect word for afraid
adj.

Old English afæred, past participle of now-obsolete afear (Old English afæran) “to terrify,” from a- (1) + root of fear. Used frequently by Shakespeare, but supplanted in literary English after 1700 by afraid (q.v.). It still survives in popular and colloquial speech.