viciousvi‧cious /ˈvɪʃəs/ ●●○ adjective 
a vicious murder a vicious killer Keep away from that dog, he can be vicious.► see thesaurus at cruel, violent2very unkind in a way that is intended to hurt someone’s feelings or make their character seem bad SYN malicious: Sarah can be quite vicious at times. a vicious personal attack on the Duchess She was shocked by the vicious tone in his voice.3unpleasantly strong or severe SYN violent: a vicious gust of wind a vicious headache—viciously adverb: He twisted her arm viciously.—viciousness noun [uncountable]
WORD ORIGINvicious
Origin:
1300-1400 Old French vicieux, from Latin vitiosus ‘full of faults’, from vitium; ➔ VICEEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- "It was a particularly vicious crime," a police spokesman said.
- vicious dogs
- a vicious crime
- Apparently the girl was the victim of a vicious sex attack.
- John gets pretty vicious when he's drunk.
- Rottweilers are vicious dogs, far too dangerous to have as pets.
- Someone is conducting a vicious campaign of false rumours against the Royal Family.
- The Senator launched a vicious attack on the former President.
- We found ourselves surrounded by a gang of vicious young thugs, armed with belts, sticks and stones.
- Big Willie was the toughest dude on the block, a bad combination of vicious clothes-taking bully and mean, gutsy fighter.
- But the old guard in the leadership sends in the tanks and introduces a new phase of vicious repression.
- Everybody knew Al was vicious in the courtroom, but they knew he left it in the courtroom.
- High tide is often positively dangerous, with vicious dumping waves breaking on the steep slope of the upper beach.
- The car roared past, its gun still barking as the car made a vicious turn down Longwood.
THESAURUS
deliberately hurting people or making them suffer: · It was cruel to lock the dog in the garage all day.· Her father had been very cruel to her when she was a child.· a cruel, selfish woman
not feeling any pity and not caring about other people or their problems: · How could you be so heartless!· He was cold and heartless and had no concern for the welfare of his employees.
getting pleasure from making other people suffer: · a sadistic killer· a sadistic thing to do
extremely cruel, in a way that shocks people: · a barbaric punishment· a barbaric sport
very violent and cruel, especially by suddenly attacking someone and causing injury to them: · a vicious attack on an innocent man· Some dogs can be vicious.
very cruel and violent, in a way that shows no human feelings: · a brutal dictator· the brutal methods used by the secret police
inhumane conditions, treatment etc are not considered acceptable because they cause too much suffering: · the inhumane treatment of prisoners
a cold-blooded murder, attack etc is done without showing any feeling or pity for the person who is attacked. A cold-blooded killer kills people without showing any pity: · a woman's cold-blooded murder of her devoted husband· a cold-blooded psychopath
using force to hurt or kill people – used about people, crimes etc. Also used about films or books that contain a lot of violence: · a violent man who couldn’t control his temper· the increase in violent crime· The film is too violent to be shown to children.
violent and dangerous, and seeming to enjoy hurting people for no reason: · a vicious attack on an unarmed man· We were surrounded by a gang of vicious thugs, armed with knives.
using force or violence, but not causing serious injury: · Some of the boys were being a bit rough with the younger kids.· There were complaints about rough treatment by the police.
behaving in a way that is very cruel and violent, and showing no pity: · Idi Amin was a brutal dictator.· a particularly brutal murder· The prison guards were brutal and corrupt.
attacking people in a particularly cruel way – used about people and fighting, especially in news reports: · a savage killer· There was savage fighting in the capital Mogadishu.
a bloody battle or war is very violent and a lot of people are killed or injured: · a bloody civil war· The Russians were engaged in a bloody battle against the German army.
a ferocious attack or battle is extremely violent. Also used about animals that are likely to attack in a very violent way: · The two armies fought a ferocious battle.· a ferocious beast· It was the most ferocious attack I have ever seen.
a fierce animal or person looks frightening and likely to attack people: · A fierce dog stood growling at the gate.· Bears are always fierce when they have young.· fierce bodyguards
a bloodthirsty person enjoys watching violence. A bloodthirsty story contains a lot of violent scenes: · In Mexico, humans were sacrificed to bloodthirsty gods.· a bloodthirsty tale of revenge
showing or describing injuries, blood, death etc clearly and in detail: · a gory horror movie· The book was too gory for many readers.
Longman Language Activatorunkind comments or remarks something you say to someone that is unkind , makes them feel unhappy or upset: · He said some very unkind things about my clothes.· She was used to the unkind remarks made by other students. unkind about: · Why are you always so unkind about Christina?never say an unkind word about somebody: · I never heard her say an unkind word about anyone.
if you talk about someone behind their back , you say rude or unkind things about them when they are not present: · I'm sure the other girls are talking about me behind my back.· His name is Mr McLeod, but his students call him "Big Nose" behind his back.
criticizing someone or something in an unkind but clever way: · Hayward made some pretty caustic comments about your poetry.caustic wit/humour: · Some of his students were alienated by his caustic wit.
a remark that is cutting is very unkind and is intended to hurt someone's feelings, especially by making them feel stupid or unimportant: · Emily always managed to say something cutting whenever we met at a party.· At the meeting Mark made some cutting remarks about Sally, who wasn't there to defend herself.
someone who is bitchy or who makes bitchy remarks says unkind things about another person, especially about the way they look or behave - used especially by women when talking about other women: · She was always making bitchy comments about people's clothes and make-up.bitchy about/towards: · The other girls in my class were often bitchy towards me because I studied so hard.
a snide remark criticizes someone in an unkind way, but is not very direct: · As she uttered these words she realized they sounded snide and insinuating.snide comments/remarks: · The teacher kept making snide comments about my pronunciation, which really embarrassed me.
cruel and deliberately intended to hurt someone's feelings or to make their character seem very bad: · The Senator launched a vicious attack on the former President.· Someone is conducting a vicious campaign of false rumours against the Royal Family.
people and their behaviour someone who is violent attacks people physically, especially because this is part of their character. A violent action involves physical attacks on people: · My father was a violent man who couldn't control his temper.· There was a violent protest outside the court, and a police officer was injured.violent crime: · Everyone is worried about the increase in violent crime.turn violent (=suddenly start to behave violently): · Travellers to the country have been urged to avoid large crowds, which have occasionally turned violent in the past.
very cruel and violent, and without any pity: · The police are searching for the brutal attacker of a 98-year-old woman.· Some of the prison guards were brutal and corrupt.· a brutal dictatorbrutal murder/attack/killing etc: · Carter was jailed for the brutal murder of a young mother of three.
someone who is aggressive behaves in an angry way, and seems to want to fight or argue, often when this is a part of their character: · Some of the crowd were very aggressive, shouting and banging on windows.· Kids who play violent video games show much more aggressive behaviour than those who don't.
someone who is vicious is violent and dangerous and seems to enjoy hurting people for no reason: · We found ourselves surrounded by a gang of vicious young thugs, armed with belts, sticks and stones.· "It was a particularly vicious crime," a police spokesman said.vicious attack/assault : · Apparently the girl was the victim of a vicious sex attack.
hurting people in a particularly cruel way: · Police are hunting the savage killer of five men in South London.· There was savage fighting in and around the eastern border towns.· Fussell described the war as 'appallingly cruel and savage.'
a ferocious attack or fight is extremely violent: · It was one of the most ferocious attacks on prison officers I have ever seen.· Defence lawyers claimed that the shooting was a spontaneous reaction, ferocious, but not part of a plan.
using force or violence but not causing serious injury: · Some of the boys were being a bit rough with the younger kids.rough treatment/handling: · The hostages received some rough treatment during their long period of captivity.· The police have been criticized for their rough handling of the demonstrators.
animals a fierce animal looks very frightening and is ready to attack people: · The dog was standing at the gate, looking fierce and growling.· Swans are always fierce in defence of their young.
a vicious animal is likely to attack and cause injury, often suddenly and for no reason: · Keep away from that horse -- he can be vicious.· Rottweilers are vicious dogs, far too dangerous to have as pets.
violent in a completely uncontrolled way, and always ready to attack: · They caught the monkey, but it was so savage that no one could get near enough to feed it.· At night, packs of savage dogs roamed the streets.
violent and frighteningly powerful, and so able to cause great harm: · The tiger is a ferocious beast which has already killed ten villagers.· These bears look ferocious, but attacks by them are extremely rare.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES a biting satire of the television industryCOLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
1violent and cruel in a way that hurts someone physically: · The vicious assault happened outside the man’s home.
· Police described it as an extremely violent attack.
(=very unpleasant and designed to attack someone)· The state had conducted a vicious campaign of misinformation and propaganda.
(=one that is very unkind and very untrue)· He told the court that it was a vicious lie from beginning to end.
a biting satire of the television industry· The bargaining processes within the Defence commodity market are often described in the media and in Parliament as vicious inter-Service infighting.· They were regarded as at best degenerate and self-indulgent, and at worst as vicious.· In all his plans, he had never let himself contemplate an outcome as vicious as that.
· At her most vicious, Horatia would taunt him, calling into question his virility.· Young Dallas matrons tell the most vicious jokes.· Unlike that of the most vicious of television's robotic villains, their aim is environmental salvation for the earth.· But the most vicious attack came from Hammam.· The most vicious can suddenly look very prim when assuming the role of the victim.
NOUN· The next morning the Daily Mail launched a vicious attack upon him, injudiciously using false facts as well as offering opinions.· His article drew vicious attacks from people close to the royal family, and his popular television talk show was canceled.· All remembered and periodically still experienced the vicious attacks on them which the Communists were only just beginning to abandon.· Racist attitudes are not simply articulated in the vicious attacks of racist thugs.· Val was becoming increasingly worried by the spate of vicious attacks on horses.· But the most vicious attack came from Hammam.· The parents' defence of their own interests was complicated by a vicious attack on Outram as the archetypal spinster.
· This has produced a nastily vicious circle.· I had to destroy, once and for all, the vicious circle of poverty and economic stagnation.· We're all living in a vicious circle.· It has thus become a vicious circle of spoken mumbo jumbo.· The result, in short, was a vicious circle.· And if the auction houses aren't doing well ... it's a vicious circle.· Think of the vicious circle of hyperventilation.· Poor care in turn begat defensiveness and so on, in a vicious circle.
· This vicious cycle is shown in Figure 5.2.· In a vicious cycle, weight gain increases insulin resistance increases weight gain.· Women with bulimia may also be ignorant of how their behaviour perpetuates their symptoms, creating a vicious cycle which traps them.· When you become anxious about sleeplessness, you start a vicious cycle.· A simplified version of the vicious cycle - at its worst - is shown in Figure 1.· The problem evolves into a vicious cycle.· If you make it a chore or a conflict you are already back on the vicious cycle.· As more species of life are slowly added to the embryonic aquarium, the water becomes extremely sensitive to vicious cycles.
a vicious murder a vicious killer Keep away from that dog, he can be vicious.► see thesaurus at cruel, violent2very unkind in a way that is intended to hurt someone’s feelings or make their character seem bad SYN malicious: Sarah can be quite vicious at times. a vicious personal attack on the Duchess She was shocked by the vicious tone in his voice.3unpleasantly strong or severe SYN violent: a vicious gust of wind a vicious headache—viciously adverb: He twisted her arm viciously.—viciousness noun [uncountable]