The words gave him an electric shock, for few were the rebellious spirits who would have dared to call the stately home of the van der Luydens gloomy.

这话使他无比震惊，因为很少有人敢无法无天地说范德卢顿家宏伟的住宅阴沉。

youdao

She would have slept beside the water if she dared, but there were animals who came down to the stream to drink at night.

她不敢在水边睡觉，因为在夜晚会有动物前来饮水。

youdao

We arrived at another of the camps - no more than a few old sacks and tarpaulins spread out along the road opposite the mine entrance - and were immediately surrounded by farmers, who until a year ago, they said, would never have dared to speak to a foreigner about their problems.

BBC: Spirit of defiance at Burma's Monywa mine

Fake Steve's responses at the initial meeting with this villainous prosecutor and his associate are exactly how anyone who has gone through such an experience would love to have responded--but dared not.

FORBES: Fact and Comment