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/ˈɑfəl/ /ˈɔfəl/ Listen

adjective

Awful adj.

Oppressing with fear or horror; appalling; terrible; as, an awful scene. "The hour of Nature's awful throes."

Inspiring awe; filling with profound reverence, or with fear and admiration; fitted to inspire reverential fear; profoundly impressive. "Heaven's awful Monarch."

Struck or filled with awe; terror-stricken. (Obs.) "A weak and awful reverence for antiquity."

Worshipful; reverential; law-abiding. (Obs.) "Thrust from the company of awful men."

Frightful; exceedingly bad; great; applied intensively; as, an awful bonnet; an awful boaster. (Slang)

Synonyms: See Frightful.

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Etymology of 'Awful'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Awful" Quotes from Famous Books

... eyes dropped on the ground, with only now and then a timid, appealing glance at this terrible person, this awful judge who had suddenly dropped from the skies, Marie told her little story, or as much of it as she thought needful. She had been with bad people, playing for them, a long time, she did not know how long. And then ...

— Marie • Laura E. Richards

... I had of him I knew that he was dead; the feeling of death was around him; there was death in the air, in the awful serenity of the pale face, in the hands which lay motionless and relaxed, as if surrendering all; in the faint smile, as though Death himself had come before the great man's vision and had been regarded calmly before his work was done; and while the four of us were standing, drunk with fear at this ...

— Nancy Stair - A Novel • Elinor Macartney Lane

... for a lady friend o' mine. You might tell 'em she's awful sick an' scared,—just about all in, she is,—or she wouldn't of sent. But he said she was to come here an' hand in that slip I've just gave you. That's how I come to ...

— The Purple Heights • Marie Conway Oemler

... so, Frank!" she said, "even after that terrible flight and its awful ending. And you have been so good to me, and have made me so happy. It has all grown into such a strange puzzle. If they were to find out that we got the money do you think they would force you to make the ...

— Cabbages and Kings • O. Henry

... he had died and gone to Heaven, he was asked, "Who art thou?" On replying, "A Christian," he heard the awful judgment, "It is false: thou art no Christian; thou art a Ciceronian; where the treasure is, there ...

— THE HISTORY OF EDUCATION • ELLWOOD P. CUBBERLEY

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