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appalling

 - 6 dictionary results

ap⋅pall⋅ing

  [uh-paw-ling]
Use appalling in a Sentence
–adjective
causing dismay or horror: an appalling accident; an appalling lack of manners.
Origin:
1810–20; appall + -ing 2

Related forms:
ap⋅pall⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

ap⋅pal

  [uh-pawl]
–verb (used with object), -palled, -pal⋅ling.
appall.

ap⋅pall

  [uh-pawl]
–verb (used with object)
to fill or overcome with horror, consternation, or fear; dismay: He was appalled by the damage from the fire. I am appalled at your mistakes.
Also, appal.

Origin:
1275–1325; ME < MF ap(p)allir to grow or make pale, equiv. to a- a- 5 + pal(l)ir in same sense; see pale 1

Synonyms:
horrify, daunt. See frighten.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To appalling
ap·pall   (ə-pôl')   
tr.v.   ap·palled, ap·pall·ing, ap·palls
To fill with consternation or dismay. See Synonyms at dismay.

[Middle English apallen, to grow faint, from Old French apalir : a-, to (from Latin ad-; see ad-) + palir, to grow pale (from pale, pale, from Latin pallidus, from pallēre, to grow pale; see pel-1 in Indo-European roots).]
ap·pall·ing   (ə-pô'lĭng)   
adj.  Causing consternation or dismay; frightful: appalling working conditions; appalling violence.
ap·pall'ing·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

appall 
c.1315, from O.Fr. apalir "become or make pale," from a- "to" + palir "grow pale," from L. pallere (see pallor). Meaning of "cause dismay or shock," is 16c.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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