also: おそるるにたりぬ
恐るるに足りない · i-adjective
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 恐るるに足りない | 恐るるに足りなくない |
| Polite | 恐るるに足りないです | 恐るるに足りなくないですalso 恐るるに足りなくありません |
| Past polite | 恐るるに足りなかったです | 恐るるに足りなくなかったですalso 恐るるに足りなくありませんでした |
| Past | 恐るるに足りなかった | 恐るるに足りなくなかった |
| Te-form | 恐るるに足りなくて | 恐るるに足りなくなくて |
| Adverbial | 恐るるに足りなく | |
| Conditional | 恐るるに足りなければ | 恐るるに足りなくなければ |
| Tara conditional | 恐るるに足りなかったら | 恐るるに足りなくなかったら |
not worth fearing; nothing to be afraid of
A set phrase using the classical attributive form 恐るる (from 恐る, an older equivalent of 恐れる) plus に足りない 'not worth'. It carries a slightly formal or literary tone, often used to dismiss a threat or concern.
彼の脅しなど恐るるに足りない。
His threats are not worth fearing.
He said that a difficulty of this level is nothing to be afraid of.
Standard kanji form using 足りない; the most common modern spelling.
Archaic form using the classical negative ぬ; search-only.
Kana-mixed archaic variant; search-only.
From the classical verb 恐る (osoru, 'to fear') in its attributive form 恐るる (osoruru) + the phrase に足りない (ni tarinai, 'not worth'). The modern equivalent would be 恐れるに足りない, but the classical form is fossilized in this expression.