different between nasty vs dreadful
nasty
English
Etymology
From Middle English nasty, nasti, naxty, naxte (“unclean, filthy”), probably from Old Norse *nask- +? -y, whence also Early Modern English nasky (“nasty”). Compare Swedish naskig, naskug (“nasty, dirty, messy”), Swedish and Danish nasket (“dirty, foul, unpleasant”). Compare also Low German nask (“nasty”).
Alternative theories include:
- From Old French nastre (“bad, strange”), shortened form of villenastre (“infamous, bad”), from vilein (“villain”) + -astre (pejorative suffix), from Latin -aster.
- Middle Dutch nestich, nistich ("nasty, dirty, unpleasant"; > Modern Dutch nestig (“dirty, filthy, unclean”)), perhaps ultimately connected to the Scandinavian word above.
- Other suggestions include Old High German naz (“wet”), hardening of English nesh(y) (“soft”), or alteration of English naughty.
- Modern use of the word is sometimes attributed to the popular and often derogatory 19th century American political cartoons of Thomas Nast, but the word predates him.
Pronunciation
- (AusE) IPA(key): /?na?.sti/
- Rhymes: -??sti
- (UK) IPA(key): /?n??.sti/
- Rhymes: -??sti
- (US) IPA(key): /?næs.ti/
- Rhymes: -æsti
Adjective
nasty (comparative nastier, superlative nastiest)
- (now chiefly US) Dirty, filthy. [from 14th c.]
- 2006, Marie Fontaine, The Chronicles of my Ghetto Street Volume One, p. 156:
- I really don't have any friends at school Mama Mia. They talk about me all the time. They say my hair's nappy and my clothes are nasty.
- 2006, Marie Fontaine, The Chronicles of my Ghetto Street Volume One, p. 156:
- Contemptible, unpleasant (of a person). [from 15th c.]
- 1897, Bram Stoker, Dracula:
- Jonathan kept staring at him, till I was afraid he would notice. I feared he might take it ill, he looked so fierce and nasty.
- 1897, Bram Stoker, Dracula:
- Objectionable, unpleasant (of a thing); repellent, offensive. [from 16th c.]
- 1838, Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist:
- ‘It's a nasty trade,’ said Mr. Limbkins, when Gamfield had again stated his wish.
- 1838, Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist:
- Indecent or offensive; obscene, lewd. [from 17th c.]
- 1933, Dorothy L Sayers, Murder Must Advertise:
- He said to Mr. Tallboy he thought the headline was a bit hot. And Mr. Tallboy said he had a nasty mind.
- 2009, Okera H, Be Your Priority, Not His Option, Mill City Press 2009, p. 45:
- We want threesomes, blowjobs, and orgies. That's just the way it is. We want the good girl who's nasty in bed.
- 1933, Dorothy L Sayers, Murder Must Advertise:
- Spiteful, unkind. [from 19th c.]
- 2012, The Guardian, 3 Jun 2012:
- She had said: "I love the block button on Twitter. I don't know how people expect to send a nasty comment and not get blocked."
- 2012, The Guardian, 3 Jun 2012:
- (chiefly Britain) Awkward, difficult to navigate; dangerous. [from 19th c.]
- 2007, The Observer, 5 Aug 2007:
- There was a nasty period during the First World War when the family's allegiance was called into question - not least because one of the Schroders had been made a baron by the Kaiser.
- 2007, The Observer, 5 Aug 2007:
- (chiefly Britain) Grave or dangerous (of an accident, illness etc.). [from 19th c.]
- 2012, James Ball, The Guardian, 2 Mar 2012:
- Moving into the middle ages, William the Conqueror managed to rout the English and rule the country, then see off numerous plots and assassination attempts, before his horse did for him in a nasty fall, killing him at 60.
- 2012, James Ball, The Guardian, 2 Mar 2012:
- (slang, chiefly US) Formidable, terrific; wicked. [from 20th c.]
Translations
Derived terms
- nastygram
Noun
nasty (plural nasties)
- (informal) Something nasty.
- (euphemistic, slang, preceded by "the") Sexual intercourse.
- A video nasty.
- 1984, ThirdWay (volume 7, number 5, page 17)
- In this way, it is hoped that the nasties will be dealt with, and the remainder regularized.
- 1984, ThirdWay (volume 7, number 5, page 17)
Derived terms
- do the nasty
- video nasty
References
Anagrams
- Ansty, Santy, Tansy, Yants, antsy, tansy
nasty From the web:
- what nasty means
- what nasty things to say
- what nastya
- what nasty things are in hot dogs
- what nasty c said about eminem
- what does nasty mean
- what does nasty nasty mean
dreadful
English
Alternative forms
- dreadfull
- dredful (obsolete)
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /?d??d.f?l/
Etymology
From Middle English dredful, dredfull, dredeful (also dreful), equivalent to dread +? -ful.
Adjective
dreadful (comparative more dreadful, superlative most dreadful)
- Full of something causing dread, whether
- Genuinely horrific, awful, or alarming; dangerous, risky.
- 1900, L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chapter 23:
- "...Aunt Em will surely think something dreadful has happened to me, and that will make her put on mourning..."
- 1900, L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chapter 23:
- (hyperbolic) Unpleasant, awful, very bad (also used as an intensifier).
- 1682, T. Creech's translation of Lucretius, De Natura Rerum, Book II, 52:
- Here some... Look dreadful gay in their own sparkling blood.
- 1682, T. Creech's translation of Lucretius, De Natura Rerum, Book II, 52:
- (obsolete) Awesome, awe-inspiring, causing feelings of reverence.
- Genuinely horrific, awful, or alarming; dangerous, risky.
- (obsolete) Full of dread, whether
- Scared, afraid, frightened.
- Timid, easily frightened.
- Reverential, full of pious awe.
Adverb
dreadful (comparative more dreadful, superlative most dreadful)
- (informal) Dreadfully.
Usage notes
The senses of "dreadful" synonymous with "afraid" similarly use the infinitive or the preposition "of": they were dreadful to build or the boy was dreadful of his majesty. These senses are, however, now obsolete.
When used as an intensifier, "dreadful" is actually a form of the adverb "dreadfully" and thus considered informal or vulgar.
Synonyms
- See Thesaurus:frightening
- See Thesaurus:bad
Derived terms
- dreadfully
- dreadfulness
Translations
Noun
dreadful (plural dreadfuls)
- A shocker: a report of a crime written in a provokingly lurid style.
- A journal or broadsheet printing such reports.
- A shocking or sensational crime.
Derived terms
- penny dreadful
Further reading
- Oxford English Dictionary, 1884–1928, and First Supplement, 1933.
dreadful From the web:
- what dreadful means
- what dreadful situation is knox referring to
- what dreadful dole is here
- what dreadful oracle was cited in the story
- what does dreadful mean
- what is meant by dreadful
you may also like
- nasty vs dreadful
- aperture vs rent
- furious vs cruel
- controlled vs concise
- orifice vs rip
- clod vs clump
- throb vs twinge
- image vs guise
- crotchet vs caprice
- recreation vs escapade
- desperado vs outcast
- gladness vs liveliness
- stroke vs chop
- freakishly vs peculiarly
- quick vs casual
- parochial vs administrative
- canon vs direction
- ominous vs malign
- fruition vs reward
- forcefulness vs sturdiness