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Dreadful
//ˈdɹɛd.fl̩// adj, adv, noun, slang
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 Full of something causing dread, whether; Genuinely horrific, awful, or alarming; dangerous, risky.
""...Aunt Em will surely think something dreadful has happened to me, and that will make her put on mourning...""
- 2 Full of something causing dread, whether; Unpleasant, awful, very bad (also used as an intensifier). excessive
"Here some... Look dreadful gay in their own sparkling blood."
- 3 Full of something causing dread, whether; Awesome, awe-inspiring, causing feelings of reverence. obsolete
- 4 Full of dread, whether; Scared, afraid, frightened. obsolete
"Shame to the slothful and woe to the weak one. Death to the dreadful who turn to flee. Blood to the tearing, the talon’d, the beaked one. Timor Mortis are We."
- 5 Full of dread, whether; Timid, easily frightened. obsolete
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- 6 Full of dread, whether; Reverential, full of pious awe. obsolete
Adjective
- 1 extremely disagreeable and unpleasant wordnet
- 2 causing fear or dread or terror wordnet
- 3 exceptionally bad or displeasing wordnet
Adverb
- 1 Dreadfully. informal
"I'm sorry, Miz Terrigan. I'm dreadful sorry."
Noun
- 1 A shocker: a report of a crime written in a provokingly lurid style.
- 2 A journal or broadsheet printing such reports.
- 3 A shocking or sensational crime.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English dredful, dredfull, dredeful (also dreful), equivalent to dread + -ful.
Etymology 2
From Middle English dredful, dredfull, dredeful (also dreful), equivalent to dread + -ful.
Etymology 3
From Middle English dredful, dredfull, dredeful (also dreful), equivalent to dread + -ful.
See also for "dreadful"
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