terrible
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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English [edit]
Etymology [edit]
From French, from Latin terribilis (“frightful”), from terrere (“to frighten”). Compare terror, deter.
Pronunciation [edit]
Adjective [edit]
terrible (comparative terribler or more terrible, superlative terriblest or most terrible)
- Dreadful; causing alarm and fear.
- The witch gave him a terrible curse.
- formidable, powerful.
- 1883: Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island
- ...and there was even a party of the younger men who pretended to admire him, calling him a "true sea-dog," and "real old salt," and such-like names, and saying there was the sort of man that made England terrible at sea.
- 1883: Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island
- Intense; extreme in degree or extent.
- He paid a terrible price for his life of drinking.
- Unpleasant; disagreeable.
- The food was terrible, but it was free.
- Very bad; lousy.
- Whatever he thinks, he is a terrible driver.
- 2012 April 26, Tasha Robinson, “Film: Reviews: The Pirates! Band Of Misfits :”, The Onion AV Club:
- The openly ridiculous plot has The Pirate Captain (Hugh Grant) scheming to win the Pirate Of The Year competition, even though he’s a terrible pirate, far outclassed by rivals voiced by Jeremy Piven and Salma Hayek.
Synonyms [edit]
- See also Wikisaurus:frightening
Related terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
dreadful; causing alarm or fear
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most formidable
intense; extreme in degree or extent
unpleasant
very bad
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
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External links [edit]
- terrible in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- terrible in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
Statistics [edit]
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Most common English words before 1923: date · summer · simply · #856: terrible · Tom · author · authority
Catalan [edit]
Adjective [edit]
terrible m and f (plural terribles)
- terrible
French [edit]
Pronunciation [edit]
Adjective [edit]
terrible (masculine and feminine, plural terribles)
- (all senses) terrible
- 1837, Louis Viardot, L’Ingénieux Hidalgo Don Quichotte de la Manchefr.Wikisource, translation of El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Chapter II:
- Mais à peine se vit-il en chemin qu’une pensée terrible l’assaillit, et telle, que peu s’en fallut qu’elle ne lui fît abandonner l’entreprise commencée.
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- But scarcely did he see himself on the road when a terrible thought assaulted him, and such that little was missing to make him abandon the enterprise he had started.
- 1837, Louis Viardot, L’Ingénieux Hidalgo Don Quichotte de la Manchefr.Wikisource, translation of El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Chapter II:
- (colloquial) great, excellent
Related terms [edit]
Spanish [edit]
Adjective [edit]
terrible m and f (plural terribles)
- terrible (clarification of this Spanish definition is being sought)
