frightful
adjectiveadverbattested in dialogue
- //ˈfɹaɪtfəl//
Full of something causing fright, whether Genuinely horrific, awful, or alarming.
adjective
- 1
obsoleteFull of fright, whether Afraid, frightened.
Ðis frigtful ðus a-biden,
- 2
obsoleteFull of fright, whether Timid, fearful, easily frightened.
See how the frightful herds run from the wood.
- 3
Full of something causing fright, whether Genuinely horrific, awful, or alarming.
- 4
Full of something causing fright, whether Unpleasant, dreadful, awful (also used as an intensifier).
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.
Etymology
From Middle English frightful (“afraid”), from Old English forhtfull (“fainthearted, timorous”). Equivalent to fright + -ful.
adverb
- 1
Frightfully; very.
You had a lot of frightful good quotes. You must know half the books that there are.
It's a frightful long time, and I don't get many letters from him.
But we ain't found a soul what knows you, honey-love, I am so frightful sorry to say.
Forms
- comparative
- more frightful
- superlative
- most frightful
frightful · Full of something causing fright, whether Genuinely horrific, awful, or alarming.
frigid · Very cold; lacking warmth; icy.fringe · A decorative border.Frisbee · A trademarked brand name of disc-shaped gliding toy.