Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Synonyms
Nearby Entries
terrify - 4 dictionary results

ter⋅ri⋅fy

  [ter-uh-fahy]
Use terrify in a Sentence
–verb (used with object), -fied, -fy⋅ing.
to fill with terror or alarm; make greatly afraid.
Origin:
1565–75; < L terrificāre, equiv. to terr(ēre) to frighten + -ificāre -ify

Related forms:
ter⋅ri⋅fi⋅er, noun
ter⋅ri⋅fy⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
See frighten.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To terrify
ter·ri·fy   (těr'ə-fī')   
tr.v.   ter·ri·fied, ter·ri·fy·ing, ter·ri·fies
  1. To fill with terror; make deeply afraid. See Synonyms at frighten.
  2. To menace or threaten; intimidate.

[Latin terrificāre, from terrificus, terrific; see terrific.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Terrify

Ter"ri*fy\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Terrified; p. pr. & vb. n. Terrifying.] [L. terrere to frighten + -fy: cf. F. terrifier, L. terrificare. See Terrific, and -fy.]

1. To make terrible. [Obs.]

If the law, instead of aggravating and terrifying sin, shall give out license, it foils itself. --Milton.

2. To alarm or shock with fear; to frighten.

When ye shall hear of wars . . . be not terrified. --Luke xxi. 9.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source
Language Translation for : terrify
Spanish: aterrorizar,
German: erschrecken,
Japanese: こわがらせる
More Translations »

terrify 
1575, from L. terrificare "to frighten," from terrificus "causing terror" (see terrific).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Search another word or see terrify on Thesaurus | Reference