horrible

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Contents

English [edit]

Etymology [edit]

First attested in Middle English[1] (alternately as horrible and orrible)[2] in 1303[3]: from Old French[1][2] horrible[3], from Latin horribilis[1][2][3], from horr(ēre) (“bristle with fear[2][3]; shudder[3]; stand on end[2]; tremble[1]”) + -ibilis (“-ible”)[2].

Pronunciation [edit]

  • (RP, US) IPA: /ˈhɔɹɪbl/
  • (NY, Philadelphia) IPA: /ˈhɑɹɪbl/
  • Audio (US)
    		(file)

Noun [edit]

horrible (plural horribles)

  1. A thing that causes horror; a terrifying thing, particularly a prospective bad consequence asserted as likely to result from an act.
    • 1851, Herman Melville, Moby Dick
      Here's a carcase. I know not all that may be coming, but be it what it will, I'll go to it laughing. Such a waggish leering as lurks in all your horribles!
    • 1982, United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, The Genocide Convention: Hearing Before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate
      A lot of the possible horribles conjured up by the people objecting to this convention ignore the plain language of this treaty.
    • 1991, Alastair Scott, Tracks Across Alaska: A Dog Sled Journey
      The pot had previously simmered skate wings, cods' heads, whales, pigs' hearts and a long litany of other horribles.
    • 2000, John Dean, CNN interview, January 21, 2000:
      I'm trying to convince him that the criminal behavior that's going on at the White House has to end. And I give him one horrible after the next. I just keep raising them. He sort of swats them away.
    • 2001, Neil K. Komesar, Law's Limits: The Rule of Law and the Supply and Demand of Rights
      Many scholars have demonstrated these horribles and contemplated significant limitations on class actions.
  2. A person wearing a comic or grotesque costume in a parade of horribles.

Translations [edit]

terrifying thing

Adjective [edit]

horrible (comparative horribler or more horrible, superlative horriblest or most horrible)

  1. Causing horror; terrible; shocking.
    • 1953, Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451:
      Some of us have had plastic surgery on our faces and fingerprints. Right now we have a horrible job; we're waiting for the war to begin and, as quickly, end.
    • 1949, J. D. Salinger, The Laughing Man:
      Strangers fainted dead away at the sight of the Laughing Man's horrible face. Acquaintances shunned him.
  2. Tremendously wrong or errant.
    • 1933, James Thurber, My Life and Hard Times:
      Her own mother lived the latter years of her life in the horrible suspicion that electricity was dripping invisibly all over the house.

Synonyms [edit]

Related terms [edit]

Translations [edit]

causing horror, terrible
tremendously wrong or errant

References [edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1·1)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper

Asturian [edit]

Etymology [edit]

From Latin horribilis.

Adjective [edit]

horrible (epicene, plural horribles)

  1. horrible

Related terms [edit]

Catalan [edit]

Etymology [edit]

From Latin horribilis.

Pronunciation [edit]

  • IPA: /uˈribːɫə/

Adjective [edit]

horrible m, f (masculine and feminine plural horribles)

  1. horrible

Derived terms [edit]

Related terms [edit]

French [edit]

Pronunciation [edit]

Adjective [edit]

horrible (masculine and feminine, plural horribles)

  1. horrible; causing horror.

Galician [edit]

Alternative forms [edit]

Etymology [edit]

From Latin horribilis.

Adjective [edit]

horrible m and f (plural horribles)

  1. horrible

Derived terms [edit]

Related terms [edit]

Middle English [edit]

Adjective [edit]

horrible

  1. horrible

Spanish [edit]

Etymology [edit]

From Latin horribilis.

Adjective [edit]

horrible m and f (plural horribles)

  1. horrible

Derived terms [edit]

Related terms [edit]

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