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frightful. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
frightful, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
frightful in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
frightful you have here. The definition of the word
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English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Middle English frightful (“afraid”), from Old English forhtfull (“fainthearted, timorous”). Equivalent to fright + -ful.
Pronunciation
- enPR: frīt′fəl, IPA(key): /ˈfɹaɪtfəl/
- Hyphenation: fright‧ful
Adjective
frightful (comparative more frightful, superlative most frightful)
- (obsolete) Full of fright, whether
- Afraid, frightened.
- c. 1250, Genesis and Exodus, line 3459:
- Ðis frigtful ðus a-biden,
Quiles ðis daiȝes for ben gliden.
- Timid, fearful, easily frightened.
1613, William Browne, Britannia's Pastorals:See how the frightful herds run from the wood.
- Full of something causing fright, whether
- Genuinely horrific, awful, or alarming.
- (hyperbolic) Unpleasant, dreadful, awful (also used as an intensifier).
1990, House of Cards, season 1, episode 1: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.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations
full of that which causes fright
Translations to be checked
Adverb
frightful (comparative more frightful, superlative most frightful)
- (dialect) Frightfully; very.
1926, Charles Edward Montague, Rough Justice, page 87:You had a lot of frightful good quotes. You must know half the books that there are.
1942, Philip Gibbs, The Long Alert, page 200:It's a frightful long time, and I don't get many letters from him.
2018, Abbie Williams, Way Back:But we ain't found a soul what knows you, honey-love, I am so frightful sorry to say.
References
- Webster's, "frightful", 1913.
- Oxford English Dictionary, "frightful, adj.", 1898.
Middle English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Old English forhtful; equivalent to fright + -ful.
Pronunciation
Adjective
frightful
- (rare) afraid, frightened
Descendants
References