Dictionary

frightful en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈfɹaɪtfəl/
• frīt′fəl

Etymology

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

Meanings

1. (obsolete) Full of fright, whether ▸ Afraid, frightened.
   • Ðis frigtful ðus a-biden, c. 1250, Genesis and Exodus, line 3459
2. (obsolete) Full of fright, whether ▸ Timid, fearful, easily frightened.
   • See how the frightful herds run from the wood. 1613, William Browne, Britannia's Pastorals:
3. Full of something causing fright, whether ▸ Genuinely horrific, awful, or alarming.
4. (excessive) 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. 1990, House of Cards, season 1, episode 1:

Forms

Deriveds

frightfulness · frightfully · unfrightful

Synonyms

bad · frightening

Translations (21)

tr korkulu (full of fright) · ga scanrúil (full of that which causes fright) · bg ужасен (full of that which causes fright) · hi भयानक (full of that which causes fright) · bg страшен (full of that which causes fright) · pt assustador (full of fright) · pdt forchtsom (full of that which causes fright) · sa घोर (full of that which causes fright) · pdt schrakjlich (full of that which causes fright) · bg уплашен (full of fright) · eo timiga (full of that which causes fright) · tr dehşet (full of that which causes fright) · es temible (full of that which causes fright) · de furchtbar (full of that which causes fright) · la metūculōsus (full of that which causes fright) · gl aterrador (full of fright) · tr korkunç (full of that which causes fright) · tr korku dolu (full of fright) · sa भीष्म (full of that which causes fright) · fr effrayant (full of fright) · grc δασπλῆτις (full of that which causes fright)

frightful en · ADV

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈfɹaɪtfəl/
• frīt′fəl

Etymology

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

Meanings

1. (dialectal) Frightfully; very.
   • But we ain't found a soul what knows you, honey-love, I am so frightful sorry to say. 2018, Abbie Williams, Way Back:
   • It's a frightful long time, and I don't get many letters from him. 1942, Philip Gibbs, The Long Alert, page 200:
   • You had a lot of frightful good quotes. You must know half the books that there are. 1926, Charles Edward Montague, Rough Justice, page 87:

Forms