| 释义 |
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.
a1225Ancr. R. 302 Schrift schal beon..hihful, edmod, scheomeful, dredful, and hopeful. 1340Ayenb. 117 We byeþ þe more ymylded and þe dreduoller. c1440J. Capgrave Life St. Kath. i. 844 The dreedful and seekly wolde she conforte. 1529More Dyaloge iii. 71 a/2 Ouer dredefull and scrupulous in stede of deuoute and dylygent. 1659W. Chamberlayne Pharonnida iii. iii, The Turks..of whom the city ladies take A dreadful view.
βc1250Gen. & Ex. 2590 Ghe was for him dreful and bleð. 1483Cath. Angl. 107/2 Drefulle, attonitus.
†b. Const. of or inf. Obs.
c1430Lydg. Bochas ii. xxvii. (1554) 62 b, The people, dreadful to bylde their mansions, For feare of death. 1590Spenser F.Q. iii. i. 37 Dreadfull of daunger that mote him betyde. 1628Gaule 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.
c1250Gen. & Ex. 3521 Ðat dredful beames blast. a1325Prose Psalter xlvi[i]. 2 Our Lord ys heiȝe, dredful, and michel kyng. 1447Will 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. 1593Shakes. Rich. II, i. iii. 135 Harsh resounding Trumpets dreadfull bray. 1667Milton P.L. x. 121 My voice thou oft hast heard, and hast not fear'd..how is it now become So dreadful to thee? 1758C. Wesley Hymn, ‘Lo! He comes’ ii, Robed in dreadful majesty. 1833Alison Hist. Europe (1849–50) I. i. §10. 56 The insurrection of slaves is the most dreadful of all commotions.
β1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xiv. xxxvi. (Tollem. MS.), This mounte was dreful [1535 dredful] to all men.
†b. Dangerous, perilous. Obs.
c1400Lanfranc'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.
1700S. L. tr. C. Fryke's Two Voy. E.I. 213 The Maid..gave a dreadful Shriek. 1718Lady 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. 1775Mrs. 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. 1864Princess 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.)
1682Creech tr. Lucretius (1683) 52 Here some..Look dreadful gay in their own sparkling blood. 1700S. L. tr. C. Fryke's Two Voy. E.I. 234 We had..a dreadful violent Storm. 1713Young Last Day ii. 297 Oh formidable Glory! dreadful bright! 1762J. Hall-Stevenson Crazy Tales 86 A batchellor, and old, and dredeful sly. 1870Dickens 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]. 1884World 20 Aug. 9/2 The wicked noblemen of the transpontine melodrama or of penny dreadfuls. 1885Spectator 8 Aug. 1046/1 [He] has given himself up to the writing of three-volume dreadfuls. 1886F. Harrison Choice Bks. 67 Destined to perish in shilling dreadfuls. 1888C. M. Yonge Our New Mistress iv. 38 One of those cheap tales—‘dreadfuls’, I believe they call them—that one got at the station. |