terrorful
ər noun
1.
intense, sharp, overmastering fear: to be frantic with terror.
2.
an instance or cause of intense fear or anxiety; quality of causing terror: to be a terror to evildoers.
3.
any period of frightful violence or bloodshed likened to the Reign of Terror in France.
4.
violence or threats of violence used for intimidation or coercion; terrorism.
5.
Informal. a person or thing that is especially annoying or unpleasant.
Origin:
1325–75; < Latin, equivalent to terr(ēre) to frighten + -or -or1; replacing Middle English terrour < Anglo-French < Latin, as above
1325–75; < Latin, equivalent to terr(ēre) to frighten + -or -or1; replacing Middle English terrour < Anglo-French < Latin, as above
Related forms
ter·ror·ful, adjective
ter·ror·less, adjective
coun·ter·ter·ror, noun
Synonyms
1. alarm, dismay, consternation. Terror, horror, panic, fright all imply extreme fear in the presence of danger or evil. Terror implies an intense fear that is somewhat prolonged and may refer to imagined or future dangers: frozen with terror. Horror implies a sense of shock at a danger that is also evil, and the danger may be to others rather than to oneself: to recoil in horror. Panic and fright both imply a sudden shock of fear. Fright is usually of short duration: a spasm of fright. Panic is uncontrolled and unreasoning fear, often groundless, that may be prolonged: The mob was in a panic.
1. alarm, dismay, consternation. Terror, horror, panic, fright all imply extreme fear in the presence of danger or evil. Terror implies an intense fear that is somewhat prolonged and may refer to imagined or future dangers: frozen with terror. Horror implies a sense of shock at a danger that is also evil, and the danger may be to others rather than to oneself: to recoil in horror. Panic and fright both imply a sudden shock of fear. Fright is usually of short duration: a spasm of fright. Panic is uncontrolled and unreasoning fear, often groundless, that may be prolonged: The mob was in a panic.
Antonyms
1. calm.
1. calm.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To terrorful
00:10
Terrorful
is always a great word to know.
So is ort. Does it mean:
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
terror (ˈtɛrə) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | great fear, panic, or dread |
| 2. | a person or thing that inspires great dread |
| 3. | informal a troublesome person or thing, esp a child |
| 4. | terrorism |
| [C14: from Old French terreur, from Latin terror, from terrēre to frighten; related to Greek trein to run away in terror] | |
| 'terrorful | |
| —adj | |
| 'terrorless | |
| —adj | |
| terror (ˈtɛrə) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | great fear, panic, or dread |
| 2. | a person or thing that inspires great dread |
| 3. | informal a troublesome person or thing, esp a child |
| 4. | terrorism |
| [C14: from Old French terreur, from Latin terror, from terrēre to frighten; related to Greek trein to run away in terror] | |
| 'terrorful | |
| —adj | |
| 'terrorless | |
| —adj | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
terror
late 14c., "great fear," from O.Fr. terreur (14c.), from L. terrorem (nom. terror) "great fear, dread," from terrere "fill with fear, frighten," from PIE base *tre- "shake" (see terrible). Meaning "quality of causing dread" is attested from 1520s; terror bombing first recorded
1941, with reference to German air attack on Rotterdam. Sense of "a person fancied as a source of terror" (often with deliberate exaggeration, as of a naughty child) is recorded from 1883. The Reign of Terror in Fr. history (March 1793-July 1794) so called in Eng. from 1801. O.E. words for "terror" included broga and egesa.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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