Meaning of "Dread" in Jamaican English

In Jamaican Patois and Rastafarian culture, "Dread" (or "Dreadlocks") refers to:

1. A person who wears dreadlocks—matted, uncombed hair formed by natural locking or intentional cultivation
2. Specifically, a Rastafarian—adherent of the Afrocentric religious movement originating in 1930s Jamaica, which reveres Haile Selassie I, uses cannabis sacramentally, and follows Ital diet
3. By extension: The hairstyle itself ("grow dread") or the lifestyle ("livity")

Cultural significance: Dreadlocks symbolize a covenant with God (Nazirite vow, Numbers 6:5), African identity, resistance to Babylon (oppressive systems), and naturalness. Not all who wear locks are Rastas, and not all Rastas have locks—but the term "Dread" strongly implies both.

Usage: "Big up di dread dem" = respect to the Rastas/locked ones.