dreadful

adjective

1. 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. 2

   Full of something causing dread, whether Unpleasant, awful, very bad (also used as an intensifier).

   Here some... Look dreadful gay in their own sparkling blood.

   This time was most dreadful for Lilian. Thrown on her own resources and almost penniless, she maintained herself and paid the rent of a wretched room near the hospital by working as a charwoman, sempstress, anything.

   After a dreadful performance in the opening 45 minutes, they upped their game after the break...

3. 3

   obsoleteFull of something causing dread, whether Awesome, awe-inspiring, causing feelings of reverence.

4. 4

   obsoleteFull of dread, whether Scared, afraid, frightened.

   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. 5

   obsoleteFull of dread, whether Timid, easily frightened.

6. 6

   obsoleteFull of dread, whether Reverential, full of pious awe.

adverb

1. 1

   informalDreadfully.

   I'm sorry, Miz Terrigan. I'm dreadful sorry.

   You don't look so dreadful poor in the face as you did a while back.

   "No," she replied, coolly, "and I shall want my dinner dreadful bad afore I get it, I know. You don't often feel dreadful hungry, do you, sir?

noun

1. 1

   A shocker: a report of a crime written in a provokingly lurid style.

2. 2

   A journal or broadsheet printing such reports.

3. 3

   A shocking or sensational crime.

Forms

plural

dreadfuls

comparative

more dreadful

superlative

most dreadful