terrible en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˈtɛɾɪbəl/ (Scotland, Wales)
- [ˈtɛɹəbl̩] (Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈteɹəbəl/ (Australia, New-Zealand)
- /ˈtɝ.bəl/ (US, archaic, dialectal)
- (Southern-England) audio
- [ˈtɛɹɪbl̩] (Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈtɛɾəbəl/ (Scotland, Wales)
- (US) audio
- /ˈtɛɚ.bəl/ (US, archaic, dialectal)
- /ˈtɛɹəbəl/ (Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈtɛɹɪbəl/ (Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *tres- Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Proto-Indo-European *troséyeti Proto-Italic *trozeō Latin terreō Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlom Proto-Italic *-ðlom Proto-Italic *-ðlis Latin -bilis Latin terribilislbor. Old French terriblebor. Middle English terrible English terrible Inherited from Middle English terrible, from Old French terrible, from Latin terribilis (“frightful”), from terreō (“to frighten, terrify, alarm; to deter by terror, scare (away)”). Compare terror, deter. By surface analysis, terror + -ible. Displaced Old English atol and sliþe, while also largely overtaking grimm.
Meanings
-
Dreadful; causing terror, alarm and fear; awesome
The witch laid a terrible curse on him.
People who have not been in Narnia sometimes think that a thing cannot be good and terrible at the same time. If the children had ever thought so, they were cured of it now. For when they tried to look at Aslan's face they just caught a glimpse of the golden mane and the great, royal, solemn, overwhelming eyes; and then they found they couldn't look at him and went all trembly.
1950, C. S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe:
-
Formidable, powerful.
"He is the right sort of man for a labourer, but he is a terrible eater, to be sure," thought the farmer.
1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 96:[…]and there was even a party of the younger men who pretended to admire him, calling him a "true sea-dog," and "real old salt," and such-like names, and saying there was the sort of man that made England terrible at sea.
1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC:
-
Intense; extreme in degree or extent.
He paid a terrible price for his life of drinking.
‘Then the father has a great fight with his terrible conscience,’ said Munday with granite seriousness. ‘Should he make a row with the police […]? Or should he say nothing about it and condone brutality for fear of appearing in the newspapers?
1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 18, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
-
Very unpleasant; disagreeable.
The food was terrible, but it was free.
To Edward […] he was terrible, nerve-inflaming, poisonously asphyxiating. He sat rocking himself in the late Mr. Churchill's swing chair, smoking and twaddling.
1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
-
Very bad; lousy.
The openly ridiculous plot has The Pirate Captain (Hugh Grant) scheming to win the Pirate Of The Year competition, even though he’s a terrible pirate, far outclassed by rivals voiced by Jeremy Piven and Salma Hayek.
2012 April 26, Tasha Robinson, “Film: Reviews: The Pirates! Band Of Misfits”, in The Onion AV Club:Whatever he thinks, he is a terrible driver.
-
(Ireland, especially, with "for") Prone to a particular temptation.
I should have known designing was in my blood as I'm terrible for tweaking patterns I'm stitching.
2022, Hayley Wellock, quotee, Cross Stitcher, number 385, Magazines Global, page 71:He's a terrible man for beer.
Lord Byron! A terrible man for falling in love, God bless him!
2024 January 2, St. John G. Ervine, The Foolish Lovers, BoD – Books on Demand, →ISBN, page 11:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| terribler | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most terrible | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more terrible | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| terriblest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Antonyms
excellent (antonym(s) of “very bad”)
Deriveds
terribad · nonterrible · terribleness · a mind is a terrible thing to waste · terribly · terrible twos · something terrible · amphoterrible · terrible lizard · terrible infant · Terrible Towel · unterrible
Relateds
terrify · terrifying · terror · terrific · terrorize · terrorist
Synonyms
Translations (238)
tr korkunç (very unpleasant) · hu borzasztó (very unpleasant) · ca terrible (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · no fryktelig (very bad) · pl okropny (very unpleasant) · az vahiməli (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · cmn 糟糕的 (very bad) · nl afschuwelijk (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · cy ofnadwy (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · be жуда́сны (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · cmn 嚇人的 /吓人的 (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · cmn 厲害 /厉害 (most formidable) · hu szörnyű (very unpleasant) · pl straszny (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · fi hirvittävä (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · be жахлі́вы (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · hy ահավոր (very bad) · hi विकराल (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · bg страхо́тен (most formidable) · cmn 夠嗆 /够呛 (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · ka საზარელი (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · sk hrozný (most formidable) · hu rémes (very bad) · hy ահեղ (most formidable) · ru жу́ткий (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · uk страшни́й (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · az zəhmli (most formidable) · fi kamala (very bad) · kk шошырлық (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · tr berbat (very bad) · sl grozen (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · la terribilis (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · la dīrus (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · hu szörnyű (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · cmn 利害 (most formidable) · fr terrible (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · es horrible (very unpleasant) · ja 惨憺たる (very bad) · cmn 利害 (most formidable) · fi hirveä (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · ar مُرْعِب (most formidable) · fr épouvantable (very bad) · alt коркунчылу (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · hi भयावह (very unpleasant) · el τρομερός (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · pl okropny (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · hu szörnyű (very bad) · ru ужа́сный (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · tr dehşet (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · de miserabel (very bad) · uk жахли́вий (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · fi hirveä (very bad) · ta மோசம் (very unpleasant) · de furchtbar (very bad) · he גרוע (very bad) · ar أَرْبَد (very bad) · th แย่ (very bad) · he נורא (very bad) · got 𐌰𐌲𐌹𐍃𐌻𐌴𐌹𐌺𐍃 (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · pl straszliwy (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · ro groaznic (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · fi kamala (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · ml ദാരുണ (very bad) · et kohutav (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · sh стра́шан (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · es horrible (very bad) · es infumable (very bad) · ja 酷い (very bad) · pl okropny (very bad) · ru гро́зный (most formidable) · uk грі́зний (most formidable) · ru ужа́сный (very unpleasant) · hi भयंकर (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · be гро́зны (most formidable) · tr korkunç (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · el φρικτός (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · fi mahtava (most formidable) · cmn 厉害 (most formidable) · ga uafásach (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · sh у̏жа̄сан (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · tr fahiş (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · ru ужа́сный (very bad) · vi khủng khiếp (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · yi שרעקלעך (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · ca terrible (most formidable) · is hræðilegur (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · sk strašný (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · ja 恐ろしい (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · sa घोर (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · el απαίσιος (very unpleasant) · tr feci (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · tr müthiş (most formidable) · de furchtbar (very unpleasant) · fr horrible (very unpleasant) · hu borzalmas (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · pl kiepski (very bad) · fr terrible (very bad) · no fryktelig (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · pt horrível (very unpleasant) · tr korkunç (very bad) · ta கேவலம் (very bad) · pdt schrakjlich (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · lv šausmīgs (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · pt formidável (most formidable) · pt terrível (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · sv fruktansvärd (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · sco bowkin (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · el τρομερός (most formidable) · eo aĉa (very bad) · ar فَظِيع (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · hu rettentő (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · he איום (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · fi pelottava (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · pt terrível (very unpleasant) · bg страхо́тен (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · nv hóyééʼ (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · fr terrible (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · ta கேவலம் (very unpleasant) · pt horrível (very bad) · cmn 詭異的 /诡异的 (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · tt имәнеч (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · hu borzasztó (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · az qorxunc (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · ta மட்டம் (very bad) · tr felaket (very unpleasant) · sah ынырык (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · el δεινός (most formidable) · cmn 猛烈 (most formidable) · gd sgriosail (very bad) · it terribile (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · bg стра́шен (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · el φρικτός (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · el δεινός (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · el κάκιστος (very bad) · ar فَظِيع (very unpleasant) · fi kauhea (very unpleasant) · mk страшен (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · gd sgriosail (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · de schrecklich (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · ca terrible (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · cs hrozný (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · sah ынырык (most formidable) · hu borzalmas (very unpleasant) · no ubehagelig (very unpleasant) · fi kamala (very unpleasant) · ar مُرْعِب (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · pl przerażający (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · pdt jräsich (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · bg страхови́т (most formidable) · fa وحشتناک (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · ta கண்றாவி (very bad) · fi kauhea (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · ar أَرْبَد (very unpleasant) · el φοβερός (most formidable) · sh ȕžāsan (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · he נוראי (very bad) · no forferdelig (most formidable) · no forferdelig (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · hi भयानक (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · ru ужа́сный (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · el φρικτός (very unpleasant) · no fryktelig (most formidable) · fr épouvantable (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · ro înspăimântător (very unpleasant) · mk ужасен (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · fr épouvantable (very unpleasant) · fr terrible (most formidable) · el φρικτός (very bad) · fi kauhistuttava (most formidable) · fi hirveä (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · grc φοβερός (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · ro groaznic (very unpleasant) · ru стра́шный (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · ja 酷い (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · fi kamala (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · ml ഭയങ്കര (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · hu rettenetes (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · cmn 太壞了 /太坏了 (very bad) · az müdhiş (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · ka საშინელი (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · fi hirveä (very unpleasant) · gd sgriosail (very unpleasant) · fr horrible (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · ta கண்றாவி (very unpleasant) · el φοβερός (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · ro impresionant (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · no forferdelig (very bad) · es terrible (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · da frygtelig (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · sk hrozný (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · nl verschrikkelijk (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · sv hemsk (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · ko 끔찍하다 (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · fi kauhea (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · bg ужа́сен (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · ro îngrozitor (very bad) · ro teribil (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · fi hirvittävä (very unpleasant) · ta மோசம் (very bad) · no forferdelig (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · hy ահավոր (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · ro înspăimântător (very bad) · ro groaznic (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · txb empele (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · ja 極端な (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · cs hrozný (most formidable) · fi kauhea (very bad) · grc δεινός (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · pl groźny (most formidable) · ta மட்டம் (very unpleasant) · fr épouvantable (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · eo terura (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · mba makuyaw (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · sa भीष्म (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · grc δεινός (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · fi hirvittävä (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · th ไม่ดีเลย (very bad) · pt terrível (very bad) · cs hrozivý (most formidable) · he נורא (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · no fryktelig (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · ro groaznic (most formidable) · be стра́шны (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · tl matindi (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · cs strašný (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · el απαίσιος (very bad) · pl straszny (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · hu borzalmas (very bad) · sh strášan (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · az dəhşətli (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · fi hirvittävä (very bad) · tr feci (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · tr feci (very bad) · tr korkunç (intense; extreme in degree or extent) · cmn 可怕的 (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · grc γοργός (dreadful; causing alarm or fear) · ar فَظِيع (very bad) · pt terrível (dreadful; causing alarm or fear)