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To me, "Don't you dare!" is an expression that communicates a warning to someone. For instance:

  • Don't you dare talk to me like that!
  • Don't you dare follow me! (ete...)

But I wonder if you could paraphrase these examples with so that I could understand the precise meaning that appears to your minds after hearing this structure.

I think it can have two different meanings, (but I'm not sure):

  1. You don't have the right to....
  2. If you have enough courage, ...

I wonder how does it sound to you?

Please note that I have read the similar thread on the forum three times before posting my question, but as you know and all the dictionaries have mentioned, the two expressions "dare I say" and "I dare say" are two completely different statements with some AFAIC possible overlaps which I think that they should be analyzed differently with separated examples.

Meanwhile, comparing the two expressions: "don't you dare" and "don't you worry" in the addressed link above doesn't make any sense to me!

The only point that was close to my interpretation was @James k's one where he had mentioned that the construction at hand has a connotation of:

  • How dare you behave that way.

Moreover, I need to know whether it is common in current English these days? Also, Americans use it too or it is more of a British term?

Also, Michael R mentioned in his answer that:

The expression "don't you dare do something" is just a variant, is an emphatic way to say don't even think about trying to do that.

But how much streas and emphasis?!

To discover these all, I think paraphrasing the examples would be the best solution.

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    Possible duplicate of What's the difference between "don’t you dare" and "you don't dare"?
    – Gamora
    Jul 12, 2019 at 9:37
  • A-friend, this is a good question but I suspect the reason you're not getting a lot of answers is that what you are asking isn't exactly jumping off the page! :-) You have a couple of wonderings, and a need to know as well as a how much, not to mention a mild suggestion about paraphrasing. Perhaps you could pull your narrative together into a summary list of questions, as specific as you can make them? (But keep the narrative too - it's good for context.)
    – tkp
    Sep 27, 2019 at 20:19
  • Actually, I've just read the edit history. Other than the addition of the comment that you have already seen the other thread, I think your first form of the question was better. It's certainly easier to get the gist of what you're asking.
    – tkp
    Sep 27, 2019 at 20:21

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There is an implicit suggestion that to do X ("Don't you dare X...") will provoke a negative reaction from the speaker; to do X is considered wrong by them. It isn't encouraging the receiver to do the thing but trying to strongly discourage them.

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