frightful

comparative more frightful · superlative most frightful · alternative frightfull

1. Full of fright, whether
   1. obsoleteAfraid, frightened.

      Ðis frigtful ðus a-biden,

      c. 1250, Genesis and Exodus, line 3459

   2. obsoleteTimid, fearful, easily frightened.

      See how the frightful herds run from the wood.

      1613, William Browne, Britannia's Pastorals

2. Full of something causing fright, whether
   1. Genuinely horrific, awful, or alarming.
   2. excessiveUnpleasant, dreadful, awful (also used as an intensifier).

      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.

      1990, House of Cards, season 1, episode 1

comparative more frightful · superlative most frightful · alternative frightfull

1. dialectalFrightfully; very.

   It's a frightful long time, and I don't get many letters from him.

   1942, Philip Gibbs, The Long Alert, page 200

   2 more examples

   You had a lot of frightful good quotes. You must know half the books that there are.

   1926, Charles Edward Montague, Rough Justice, page 87

   But we ain't found a soul what knows you, honey-love, I am so frightful sorry to say.

   2018, Abbie Williams, Way Back