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Frightful

//ˈfɹaɪtfəl// adj, adv

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Full of fright, whether; Afraid, frightened. obsolete

    "Ðis frigtful ðus a-biden,"

  2. 2
    Full of fright, whether; Timid, fearful, easily frightened. obsolete

    "See how the frightful herds run from the wood."

  3. 3
    Full of something causing fright, whether; Genuinely horrific, awful, or alarming.
  4. 4
    Full of something causing fright, whether; Unpleasant, dreadful, awful (also used as an intensifier). excessive

    "Francis Urquhart: What a frightful little man. Where do they find them these days? Tim Stamper: God knows. If I had a dog like that, I'd shoot it. Francis Urquhart: Well, yes. Quite."

Adjective
  1. 1
    provoking horror wordnet
  2. 2
    extremely distressing wordnet
  3. 3
    extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact wordnet
Adverb
  1. 1
    Frightfully; very. dialectal

    "You had a lot of frightful good quotes. You must know half the books that there are."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English frightful (“afraid”), from Old English forhtfull (“fainthearted, timorous”). Equivalent to fright + -ful.

Etymology 2

From Middle English frightful (“afraid”), from Old English forhtfull (“fainthearted, timorous”). Equivalent to fright + -ful.

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