horror of horrors

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horror of horrors (plural horrors of horrors)

1. (figurative, derogatory) Something that is among the most horrifying things imaginable.
   • 1858, Archibald Alison, History of Europe, page 580:

     Volumes would barely suffice to recount the varied horrors of horrors of this disastrous insurrection, where the worst passions of human nature were brought to the aid of the infernal work of destruction.

   • 1900, Harold Irwin Cleveland, Massacres of Christians by Heathen Chinese and Horrors of the Boxers, page 410:

     To foreign eyes it is a sight, once seen, never to be forgotten — a horror of horrors.

   • 2022, Joshua Cockayne, Scott Harrower, Preston Hill, Dawn of Sunday: The Trinity and Trauma-Safe Churches:

     In a nutshell, the horror of horrors is that we become less able and available for good relationships, works, wonder, and worship than what we could be.

horror of horrors

1. (humorous) Used to indicate that something is a horror of horrors.
   • 1851, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, An Account of Some Strange Disturbances In Aungier Street:

     Horror of horrors! within a stair or two beneath the spot where I stood the unearthly tread smote the floor.

   • 1972, The National Cactus and Succulent Journal, page 82:

     And now, horror of horrors, a suggestion is made to do away with the individuality of our Cacti and turn them into cultivated " Zombies " .

   • 2004, House of Commons Debates, Official Report (Hansard), page 2040:

     Let us suppose, horror of horrors, that the Conservatives win and the new minister is the member for Wild Rose, Alberta.

• Often used ironically to indicate that something is not really very bad.

• “horror of horrors”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “horror of horrors”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present.
• “horror of horrors” in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman.
• “horror of horrors” (US) / “horror of horrors” (UK) in Macmillan English Dictionary.