appallingadj.
/əˈpɔːlɪŋ/ 1. Such as to overwhelm with consternation or dismay; dismaying, shocking.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > fear > quality of inspiring fear > quality of being intimidating > [adjective]
dauntinga1400
dismayfulc1595
huffing1602
dismaying1653
disheartening1654
disanimating1659
hectoring1664
bullying1681
bullocking1715
intimidatinga1812
browbeating1816
appalling1817
cowing1843
intimidatorya1846
dompting1912
fuck-off1962
1817 P. B. Shelley Laon & Cythna i. xi. p. 6 Within the sphere of that appalling fray.
1824 T. F. Dibdin Libr. Compan. 592 Hogarth never depicted a more appalling subject.
1836 T. P. Thompson Let. 6 Aug. in Lett. to Constituents 99 The newspapers have reported two or three ‘appalling accidents’ already.
2. colloquial. In weakened sense: distasteful, ‘shocking’. Cf. dreadful adj. 3.
ΚΠ
1919 Punch 7 May 357 What appalling rot!
1935 Discovery Aug. 222/2 The work involved is truly appalling.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1885; most recently modified version published online December 2019).
<
adj.1817