different between serious vs frightful

English

Etymology

From Middle English seryows, from Old French serieux, from Medieval Latin s?ri?sus, an extension of Latin s?rius (“grave, earnest, serious”), from Proto-Indo-European *swer- (“heavy”). Cognate with German schwer (“heavy, difficult, severe”), Old English sw?r (“heavy, grave, grievous”). More at swear, sweer.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?s???.i.?s/, [?si??.i.?s]
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?s??.?i.?s/
• Rhymes: -???i?s
• Homophones: cereous, Sirius (one pronunciation)

Adjective

serious (comparative more serious or seriouser, superlative most serious or seriousest)

1. Without humor or expression of happiness; grave in manner or disposition

   It was a surprise to see the captain, who had always seemed so serious, laugh so heartily.

   Synonyms: earnest, solemn

2. Important; weighty; not insignificant

   This is a serious problem. We'll need our best experts.

3. Really intending what is said (or planned, etc); in earnest; not jocular or deceiving

   After all these years, we're finally getting serious attention.

   He says he wants to buy the team, but is he serious?

4. (of a relationship) Committed.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:serious

Antonyms

• (important, weighty): trifling, unimportant
• (intending what is said): jesting

Derived terms

• srs (abbreviation)
• dead serious
• seriously
• seriousness
• serious-minded
• serious-mindedly
• serious-mindedness

Translations

Adverb

serious (not comparable)

1. (colloquial, dialect) In a serious manner; seriously.

Further reading

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

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.