different between repulsive vs frightful

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French repulsif, from Medieval Latin repulsivus, from Latin repulsus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /???p?ls?v/
• enPR: /r?-p?l's?v/, /r?-p?l's?v/

Adjective

repulsive (comparative more repulsive, superlative most repulsive)

1. tending to rouse aversion or to repulse
2. (physics) having the capacity to repel
3. cold, reserved, forbidding

Usage notes

• Nouns to which "repulsive" is often applied: force, interaction, potential.

Synonyms

• repellent
• similar: disgusting, vile

Antonyms

• (tending to rouse aversion) attractive
• (physics, having the capacity to repel) attractive

Translations

Anagrams

• prelusive, pulverise

Italian

Adjective

repulsive

1. feminine plural of repulsivo

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.