different between frightful vs abhorrent

English

Alternative forms

• frightfull (archaic)

Etymology

From Middle English frightful (“afraid”), from Old English forhtful (“fainthearted, timorous”). Equivalent to fright +? -ful.

Pronunciation

• enPR: fr?t?f?l, IPA^(key): /?f?a?tf?l/
• Hyphenation: fright?ful

Adjective

frightful (comparative more frightful, superlative most frightful)

1. (obsolete) Full of fright, whether
   1. Afraid, frightened.
      • c. 1250, Genesis and Exodus, line 3459:

        Ðis frigtful ðus a-biden,
        Quiles ðis dai?es for ben gliden.

   2. Timid, fearful, easily frightened.
2. Full of something causing fright, whether
   1. Genuinely horrific, awful, or alarming.
   2. (hyperbolic) Unpleasant, dreadful, awful (also used as an intensifier).
      • 1990, House of Cards, Season 1, Episode 1:

        Francis Urquhart: What a frightful little man. Where do they find them these days?
        Tim Stamper: God knows. If I had a dog like that, I'd shoot it.
        Francis Urquhart: Well, yes. Quite.

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:frightening
• See Thesaurus:bad

Derived terms

• frightfully

Translations

Adverb

frightful (comparative more frightful, superlative most frightful)

1. (dialect) Frightfully; very.

References

• Webster's, "frightful", 1913.
• Oxford English Dictionary, "frightful, adj.", 1898.

Middle English

Alternative forms

• frigtful

Etymology

From Old English forhtful; equivalent to fright +? -ful.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?frixt?ful/

Adjective

frightful

1. (rare) afraid, frightened

Descendants

• English: frightful

References

• “frightful, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-05.

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin abhorr?ns, abhorr?ntis, present active participle of abhorre? (“abhor”). Equivalent to abhor +? -ent.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /æb?(h)??.?nt/, /?b?(h)??.?nt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /æb?h??.?nt/, /æb?h??.?nt/

Adjective

abhorrent (comparative more abhorrent, superlative most abhorrent)

1. (archaic) Inconsistent with, or far removed from, something; strongly opposed [Late 16^th century.]
2. Contrary to something; discordant. [Mid 17^th century.]
3. Abhorring; detesting; having or showing abhorrence; loathing. [Mid 18^th century.]
4. Detestable or repugnant. [Early 19^th century.]

Usage notes

• Nouns to which abhorrent is often applied: behavior, act, crime, practice, thing.
• (opposed): abhorrent is typically followed by from.
• (contrary): abhorrent is followed by to.

Related terms

Translations

References

Further reading

• abhorrent in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• abhorrent in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• abhorrent at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• earthborn

French

Verb

abhorrent

1. third-person plural present indicative of abhorrer
2. third-person plural present subjunctive of abhorrer

Latin

Verb

abhorrent

1. third-person plural present active indicative of abhorre?