dreadful, a. (adv. and n.)
(ˈdrɛdfʊl)
Forms: see dread n.; also β. 3–5 drefu(l, 9 dial. drefful.
[f. dread n. + -ful.]
A. adj.
† 1. a. Full of dread, fear, or awe; fearful, terrified, timid; reverential. Obs.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 302 Schrift schal beon..hihful, edmod, scheomeful, dredful, and hopeful. 1340 Ayenb. 117 We byeþ þe more ymylded and þe dreduoller. c 1440 J. Capgrave Life St. Kath. i. 844 The dreedful and seekly wolde she conforte. 1529 More Dyaloge iii. 71 a/2 Ouer dredefull and scrupulous in stede of deuoute and dylygent. 1659 W. Chamberlayne Pharonnida iii. iii, The Turks..of whom the city ladies take A dreadful view. |
| β c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2590 Ghe was for him dreful and bleð. 1483 Cath. Angl. 107/2 Drefulle, attonitus. |
† b. Const.
of or
inf. Obs.| c 1430 Lydg. Bochas ii. xxvii. (1554) 62 b, The people, dreadful to bylde their mansions, For feare of death. 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. i. 37 Dreadfull of daunger that mote him betyde. 1628 Gaule Pract. The. (1629) 370 Reuerently awfull, or desperately dreadfull of his Maiestie, and Power. |
2. a. Inspiring dread or reverence; awe-inspiring; terrible, formidable; awful; to be dreaded.
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3521 Ðat dredful beames blast. a 1325 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. 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, i. iii. 135 Harsh resounding Trumpets dreadfull bray. 1667 Milton P.L. x. 121 My voice thou oft hast heard, and hast not fear'd..how is it now become So dreadful to thee? 1758 C. Wesley Hymn, ‘Lo! He comes’ ii, Robed in dreadful majesty. 1833 Alison Hist. Europe (1849–50) I. i. §10. 56 The insurrection of slaves is the most dreadful of all commotions. |
| β 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xiv. xxxvi. (Tollem. MS.), This mounte was dreful [1535 dredful] to all men. |
† b. Dangerous, perilous.
Obs.| c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 26 Whos [the arteries'] dyuysiouns..ben nouȝt dredful to surgiens craft. Ibid. 129, I holde þis wey lasse dredeful þan ony oþere. |
3. In weakened sense, applied to objects exciting fear or aversion. In
mod. colloquial use often a strong intensive
= Exceedingly bad, great, long, etc.
Cf. awful,
horrid.
| 1700 S. L. tr. C. Fryke's Two Voy. E.I. 213 The Maid..gave a dreadful Shriek. 1718 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. to C'tess Bristol 12 Sept., I intend to set out tomorrow, and to pass those dreadful Alps, so much talked 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. Mod. It was a dreadful business. We waited a dreadful time. |
B. adv. = dreadfully 2, 3. (Now
vulgar.)
| 1682 Creech tr. Lucretius (1683) 52 Here some..Look dreadful gay in their own sparkling blood. 1700 S. L. tr. C. Fryke's Two Voy. E.I. 234 We had..a dreadful violent Storm. 1713 Young Last Day ii. 297 Oh formidable Glory! dreadful bright! 1762 J. Hall-Stevenson Crazy Tales 86 A batchellor, and old, and dredeful sly. 1870 Dickens E. Drood i, 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’.
colloq.| 1873 [see penny dreadful s.v. penny 11]. 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. |