terrific, a. (n.)
(təˈrɪfɪk)
[ad. L. terrific-us terrifying, f. stem of terrēre to frighten: see -fic. So obs. F. terrifique (15th c. in Godef.).]
A. adj.
1. Causing terror, terrifying; fitted to terrify; dreadful, terrible, frightful.
| 1667 Milton P.L. vii. 497 The Serpent..with brazen Eyes And hairie Main terrific. 1718 Pope Iliad x. 300 In arms terrific their huge limbs they dress'd. 1796 Morse Amer. Geog. I. 345 Even Canonicus..the terrific Sachem of the Narragansetts, sued for peace. 1821 Craig Lect. Drawing iv. 214, I cannot..advise you to attempt any species of the terrific in painting. 1899 Ward Hist. Dram. Lit. (ed. 2) I. 307 A terrific woodcut depicts the most sensational situation in the story. |
2. a. Applied intensively to anything very severe or excessive. colloq. (Cf. awful, terrible, tremendous.)
| 1809 J. W. Croker in Croker Papers 12 Oct., I am..up to my eyes in business, the extent of which is quite terrific. 1855 Mrs. Carlyle Lett. (1883) II. 262 The crowd was immense, and the applause terrific. 1899 J. Hutchinson in Arch. Surg. X. No. 38. 177 The sensation of tingling burning pain remaining the same, while the itching is ‘terrific’. |
b. As an enthusiastic term of commendation: superlatively good, ‘marvellous’, ‘great’. Also Comb. colloq.
| 1930 D. G. Mackail Young Livingstones xi. 271 ‘Thanks awfully,’ said Rex. ‘That'll be ripping.’ ‘Fine!’ said Derek Yardley. ‘Great! Terrific!’ 1940 Chatelaine Dec. 10/3 But think what it means that they want to come to you. Your bedside manner must be terrific. 1944 Sun (Baltimore) 20 Dec. 1/7 Lee McCardell [a reporter] is terrific—first into Metz, first into St. Avold, first into Saarlautern. 1951 ‘A. Garve’ Murder in Moscow iii. 47 Perdita..looked terrific in midnight-blue velvet. 1951 J. D. Salinger Catcher in Rye xii. 103 This..guy had a terrific-looking girl with him. Boy, she was good-looking. 1971 Farmer & Stockbreeder 23 Feb. 39/1 He believes the soil is ‘terrific’ for potatoes and wheat. 1981 Daily Mail 14 October 15/1, ‘I feel great, really terrific,’ said the former Wings guitarist. |
B. n. in pl. Terrific things.
| 1798 A. Seward Lett. (1811) V. 174 To exhibit, among his mock-terrifics, some pictures that have the genuine grandeur of horror. |
Hence teˈrrificly adv. = terrifically; teˈrrificness, the quality of being terrific.
| 1727 Bailey vol. II, Terrifickness, Terribleness. 1894 Outing (U.S.) XXIV. 360/1 A low mountain..over which a terrificly steep path led. 1904 Adv. Elizabeth in Ruegen 101 Her family wept and..told her the terrificness of marrying a widower with seven children. |