dreadfuladj.adv.n.
/ˈdrɛdfʊl/ A. adj.† 1. β. a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 2590 Ghe was for him dreful and bleð.1483 Cath. Angl. 107/2 Drefulle, attonitus.† b. Const. of or infinitive. Obsolete.
a. Full of dread, fear, or awe; fearful, terrified, timid; reverential. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > fear > awe > [adjective]
dreadful?c1225
dreadlya1250
dreadya1325
fearful1597
awesome1598
awed1607
awestruck1637
awe-stricken1796
the mind > attention and judgement > esteem > respect > reverence > [adjective] > full of reverential fear
dreadful?c1225
dreadlya1250
dreadya1325
awful1597
fearful1597
awesome1598
awed1607
awestruck1637
awe-stricken1796
?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 223 Schrift schalbeon..hichful. Edmod. Scheomeful. Dredful & hopeful.
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 117 We byeþ þe more ymylded and þe dreduoller.
c1440 J. Capgrave Life St. Katherine i. 844 The dreedful and seekly wolde she conforte.
1529 T. More Dialogue Heresyes iii. 71 a/2 Ouer dredefull and scrupulous in stede of deuoute and dylygent.
1659 W. Chamberlayne Pharonnida iii. iii. sig. P2v The Turks..of whom the City Ladies take A dreadfull view.
ΚΠ
c1430 J. Lydgate tr. Bochas Fall of Princes (1554) ii. xxvii. 62 b The people, dreadful to bylde their mansions, For feare of death.
1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene iii. i. sig. Cc2 Dreadfull of daunger, that mote him betyde.
1629 J. Gaule Practique Theories Christs Predict. 370 Reuerently awfull, or desperately dreadfull of his Maiestie, and Power.
2. β. 1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomew de Glanville De Proprietatibus Rerum xiv. xxxvi. (Tollem. MS.) This mounte was dreful [1535 dredful] to all men.† b. Dangerous, perilous. Obsolete.
a. Inspiring dread or reverence; awe-inspiring; terrible, formidable; awful; to be dreaded.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > fear > quality of terror or horror > [adjective]
affrightOE
ofgrisea1200
adreadc1225
ofgasta1300
aghastc1300
dreadc1300
dreadfula1325
dreadya1325
forfrighteda1325
frightfula1325
gasta1382
dareda1400
aghasteda1425
mazed1493
awfula1522
agazed1557
flaited1565
terrifiedc1586
gastereda1644
scarified1895
the mind > emotion > fear > awe > [adjective] > religious
dreadfula1325
the mind > emotion > fear > quality of inspiring fear > quality of terribleness > [adjective]
eislichc888
eyesfulOE
awfulc1175
smarta1200
ferlya1225
sternc1275
grisea1300
uglya1300
dreadfula1325
fell?c1335
stout1338
perilousc1380
terriblec1400
ghastfulc1449
timorous1455
epouventable1477
bedreadc1485
dreadablec1490
dreadc1540
buggisha1555
dreaded1556
monster-like1561
dire1567
scareful1567
terrifying1577
scary1582
direful1583
affrighting1592
dismal1594
affrightful1603
diral1606
tirable1607
frighting1619
scaring1641
affrighteninga1651
formidolous1656
terrific1667
terrifical1677
atrocious1733
terrorful1789
orful1845
lurid1850
terrorsome1890
turble1893
timorsome1894
like the wrath of God1936
the mind > attention and judgement > esteem > respect > reverence > quality of inspiring reverence > [adjective] > worthy of or inspiring reverential fear
dreadfula1325
awfula1400
tremblable1560
awing1589
awous?1675
awe-inspiring1726
a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 3521 Ðat dredful beames blast.
a1325 Prose Psalter xlvi[i]. 2 Our Lord ys heiȝe, dredful, and michel kyng.
1447 Will of Hen. VI in T. J. Carter King's Coll. Chapel (1867) 13 The blessed and dredeful visage of our Lord Jesu in his most fereful and last dome.
1597 W. Shakespeare Richard II i. iii. 129 Harsh resounding trumpets dreadfull bray. View more context for this quotation
1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost x. 121 My voice thou oft hast heard, and hast not fear'd..how is it now become So dreadful to thee? View more context for this quotation
1758 C. Wesley & J. Wesley Hymns of Intercession 32 Rob'd in dreadful majesty.
1833 A. Alison Hist. Europe during French Revol. I. i. 8 The insurrection of slaves is the most dreadful of all commotions.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > danger > [adjective]
plightlyOE
wothea1300
perilousc1300
wickeda1375
plightfula1400
dreadfulc1400
parlous?a1425
shrewd1482
danger1488
dangerous1490
periculous1533
dangerful1548
dangersome1567
craggy1582
perilsome1593
endangering1601
unsafe1621
imperilous1645
ugly1654
warm1726
neck-break1756
wanchancy1768
uncanny1785
unchancy1786
nasty1828
unhealthy1915
windy1919
c1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 26 Whos [the arteries'] dyuysiouns..ben nouȝt dredful to surgiens craft.
c1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 129 I holde þis wey lasse dredeful þan ony oþere.
3. In weakened sense, applied to objects exciting fear or aversion. In modern colloquial use often a strong intensive = Exceedingly bad, great, long, etc. Cf. awful adj., horrid adj. and adv.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > [adjective] > very great or extreme > specifically of something bad or reprobated
woefula1400
mortalc1425
preciousc1475
fine1559
trim1569
gay1581
unconscionable1590
pocky1601
abominable1612
fearful1634
handsome1638
plaguey1694
dreadful1700
awfy1724
murrain1728
diabolical1750
deuced1782
dire1836
sinful1863
sodding1881
blooming1882
flaming1895
ruddy1896
abysmal1904
awful1916
hellishing1927
right1958
steaming1962
schwag1993
1700 S. L. tr. C. Frick Relation Voy. in tr. C. Frick & C. Schweitzer Relation Two Voy. E.-Indies 213 The Maid..gave a dreadful Shriek.
1718 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. 12 Sept. (1965) I. 434 I intend to set out to morrow to pass those dreadfull Alps, so much talk'd of.
1775 Mrs. Harris in Priv. Lett. Ld. Malmesbury I. 302 I have long wished to be in company with this said Johnson; his conversation is the same as his writing, but a dreadful voice and manner.
1864 Princess Alice in Mem. 72 The parting from Anna three days ago was dreadful.
1897 N.E.D. at Dreadful Mod. It was a dreadful business. We waited a dreadful time.
B. adv.
= dreadfully adv. 2, 3. (Now nonstandard.)
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > fear > quality of inspiring fear > quality of terribleness > [adverb]
dreadlyc1175
eislichec1175
grimlyc1175
ungainlya1200
awly?c1225
grurefulliche?c1225
fiendlyc1275
dreadfullya1400
felly?c1400
awfully1487
terrible1490
terriblya1500
fearingly1556
direly1610
dismally1653
dreadful1682
formidably1685
terrifyingly1767
direfully1775
terrifically1778
terrificly1791
appallingly1825
turble1893
the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > [adverb] > extremely or exceedingly > excessively
cruellyc1385
overa1400
fullc1400
parlouslyc1425
mortalc1440
perilousc1440
spitefulc1450
devilish1560
pestilently1567
spitefully1567
cruel1573
parlous1575
deadly1589
intolerable?1593
fellc1600
perditlya1632
excessively1634
devilishly1635
desperate1636
woundya1639
woundlya1644
desperately1653
wicked1663
killing1672
woundily1706
wounded1753
mortally1759
dreadful1762
intolerably1768
perishing1776
tremendously1776
terrifically1777
diabolically1792
woundedly1794
thundering1809
all-firedly1833
preponderously1835
painfully1839
deadlilya1843
severely1854
furiously1856
diabolish1858
fiendish1861
demonish1867
sinfully1869
fiendishly1879
thunderingly1885
only too1889
nightmarishly1891
God almighty1906
Christ almighty1945
1682 T. Creech tr. Lucretius De natura rerum ii. 52 Here some..Look dreadful gay in their own sparkling blood.
1700 S. L. tr. C. Schweitzer Relation Voy. in tr. C. Frick & C. Schweitzer Relation Two Voy. E.-Indies 234 We had..a dreadful violent Storm.
1713 E. Young Poem on Last Day ii. 42 Oh formidable Glory! Dreadful Bright!
1762 J. Hall-Stevenson Crazy Tales 86 A batchellor, and old, and dredeful sly.
1870 C. Dickens Edwin Drood i. 2 The market price is dreffle high just now.
C. n.
A story of crime written in a sensational or morbidly exciting style; a journal or print of such character; a ‘shocker’. colloquial.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > literature > prose > narrative or story > novel > [noun] > sensational novel or thriller
sensation novel1856
penny dreadful1861
dime novel1864
curdler1872
dreadful1874
blood and thunder1876
penny awful1880
shilling dreadful1885
thrill1886
thriller1889
blood1892
terror novel1896
penny horrible1899
spine-thriller1912
roman noir1926
spine-chiller1940
scorcher1942
spine-tingler1942
spine-freezer1960
1874 Hotten's Slang Dict. (rev. ed.) 250 Penny dreadfuls,..those penny publications which depend more upon sensationalism than upon merit, artistic or literary, for success.
1884 World 20 Aug. 9/2 The wicked noblemen of the transpontine melodrama or of penny dreadfuls.
1885 Spectator 8 Aug. 1046/1 [He] has given himself up to the writing of three-volume dreadfuls.
1886 F. Harrison Choice Bks. 67 Destined to perish in shilling dreadfuls.
1888 C. M. Yonge Our New Mistress iv. 38 One of those cheap tales—‘dreadfuls’, I believe they call them—that one got at the station.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1897; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.adv.n.?c1225