outrageous

English

Alternative forms

• outragious (archaic)

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman outrageus, Middle French outrageus, from outrage; equivalent to outrage +‎ -ous.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aʊtˈɹeɪdʒəs/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪdʒəs

Adjective

outrageous (comparative more outrageous, superlative most outrageous)

1. Violating morality or decency; provoking indignation or affront. [from 14th c.]
   • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):

     To be, or not to be, that is the Question: / Whether 'tis Nobler in the minde to suffer / The Slings and Arrowes of outragious Fortune, / Or to take Armes against a Sea of troubles, / And by opposing end them [...].

   • 2011 October 19, Paul Wilson, The Guardian:

     The Irish-French rugby union whistler Alain Rolland was roundly condemned for his outrageous decision that lifting a player into the air then turning him over so he falls on his head or neck amounted to dangerous play.

2. Transgressing reasonable limits; extravagant, immoderate. [from 14th c.]
   • 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “An Audience”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 254:

     "Now, the Lord have mercy upon me!" exclaimed Sir Robert, sinking back in his chair; "there is nothing in the world so unreasonable as a pretty woman. Well, let me hear what outrageous proposition is about to come from two at once!"

   • 2004 December 19, David Smith, The Observer:

     Audience members praised McKellen, best known for Shakespearean roles and as Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings, for his show-stealing turn as Twankey in a series of outrageous glitzy dresses.

3. Shocking; exceeding conventional behaviour; provocative. [from 18th c.]
   • 1935, George Goodchild, chapter 1, in Death on the Centre Court:

     She mixed furniture with the same fatal profligacy as she mixed drinks, and this outrageous contact between things which were intended by Nature to be kept poles apart gave her an inexpressible thrill.

   • 2001 December 8, Imogen Tilden, The Guardian:

     "It's something I really am quite nervous about," he admits, before adding, with relish: "You have to be a bit outrageous and challenging sometimes."

4. (now rare) Fierce, violent. [from 14th c.]
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto IV”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:

     For els my feeble vessell, crazd and crackt / Through thy strong buffets and outrageous blowes, / Cannot endure, but needes it must be wrackt [...].

   • 1700, [John] Dryden, “Palamon and Arcite: Or, The Knight’s Tale. In Three Books.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, book I, page 17:

     For when he knew his Rival freed and gone, / He ſwells with Wrath; he makes outrageous Moan: / He frets, he fumes, he ſtares, he ſtamps the Ground; / The hollow Tow'r with Clamours rings around: […]

Derived terms

• outrageously
• outrageousness

Related terms

• outrage

Translations

shocking

• Catalan: xocant (ca), cruel (ca), immoral (ca), escandalós
• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 離晒譜／离晒谱 (lei⁴ saai³ pou²)

  Mandarin: 不像話／不像话 (zh) (bù xiànghuà)

• Czech: šokující, skandální (cs), provokativní (cs), bezprecedentní (cs)
• Dutch: ongehoord (nl), schandelijk (nl), schokkend (nl)
• Finnish: järkyttävä (fi)
• French: outrageant (fr), scandaleux (fr)
• German: ungeheuerlich (de), haarsträubend (de), schockierend (de), verstörend (de), empörend (de)
• Greek: αποτρόπαιος (el) (apotrópaios), προκλητικός (el) (proklitikós), αισχρός (el) (aischrós)

  Ancient: ὕβριστος (húbristos)

• Hungarian: felháborító (hu)
• Japanese: 法外な (ja) (ほうがいな, hōgai-na), 無法な (ja) (むほうな, muhō-na), 怪しからん (けしからん, keshikaran)
• Maori: rūtaki
• Norwegian: uhørt
• Polish: oburzający, skandaliczny (pl)
• Portuguese: ultrajante, insultuoso (pt), exurbitante
• Romanian: scandalos (ro), rușinos (ro), revoltător (ro)
• Russian: вопию́щий (ru) (vopijúščij), возмути́тельный (ru) (vozmutítelʹnyj)
• Spanish: indignante (es), inaudito (es), escandaloso (es), apabullante (es), aberrante (es), atroz (es), desaforado (es)
• Ukrainian: обу́рливий (obúrlyvyj)

Further reading

• “outrageous”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “outrageous”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.