afeard

[uh-feerd] /əˈfɪərd/
adjective, British and Midland and Southern U.S.
1.
afraid.
Also, afeared.
Origin
before 1000; Middle English afered, Old English āfǣred frightened (past participle of āfǣran). See a-3, fear, -ed2
British Dictionary definitions for afeared

afeard

/əˈfɪəd/
adjective
1.
(postpositive) an archaic or dialect word for afraid
Word Origin
Old English āfǣred, from afǣran to frighten, from fǣran to fear
Word Origin and History for afeared
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.