terrible
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ter·ri·ble
(tĕr′ə-bəl)adj.
1. Causing great fear or alarm; dreadful: a terrible bolt of lightning; a terrible curse.
2. Extremely formidable: terrible responsibilities.
3. Extreme in extent or degree; intense: "the life for which he had paid so terrible a price" (Leslie Fiedler).
4.
a. Unpleasant; disagreeable: had a terrible time at the party; terrible food.
b. Very bad: a terrible actor.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin terribilis, from terrēre, to frighten.]
ter′ri·ble·ness n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
terrible
(ˈtɛrəbəl)adj
1. very serious or extreme: a terrible cough.
2. informal of poor quality; unpleasant or bad: a terrible meal; a terrible play.
3. causing terror
4. causing awe: the terrible nature of God.
[C15: from Latin terribilis, from terrēre to terrify]
ˈterribleness n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ter•ri•ble
(ˈtɛr ə bəl)adj.
1. distressing; severe.
2. extremely bad; horrible.
3. exciting terror or great fear; dreadful; awful.
4. formidably great: a terrible responsibility.
[1400–50; late Middle English < Latin terribilis=terr(ēre) to frighten + -ibilis -ible]
ter′ri•ble•ness, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
terrible
– terribly1. 'terrible'
The adjective terrible is used in two ways. In conversation and in less formal writing, you use it to say that something is very unpleasant or of very poor quality.
I know this has been a terrible shock to you.
His eyesight was terrible.
In writing or conversation, you use terrible to say that something is very shocking or distressing.
That was a terrible air crash last week.
2. 'terribly'
The adverb terribly is sometimes used for emphasizing how shocking or distressing something is.
My son has suffered terribly. He has lost his best friend.
The wound bled terribly.
However, terribly is much more commonly used as a stronger word than 'very' or 'very much'.
I'm terribly sorry.
We all miss him terribly and are desperate for him to come home.
It's a terribly dull place.
Be Careful!
Don't use 'terribly' like this in formal writing.
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Adj. | 1. |  terrible - causing fear or dread or terror; "the awful war"; "an awful risk"; "dire news"; "a career or vengeance so direful that London was shocked"; "the dread presence of the headmaster"; "polio is no longer the dreaded disease it once was"; "a dreadful storm"; "a fearful howling"; "horrendous explosions shook the city"; "a terrible curse"direful, dread, dreaded, dreadful, fearsome, frightening, horrendous, horrific, fearful, awful, dire alarming - frightening because of an awareness of danger |
| 2. |  terrible - exceptionally bad or displeasing; "atrocious taste"; "abominable workmanship"; "an awful voice"; "dreadful manners"; "a painful performance"; "terrible handwriting"; "an unspeakable odor came sweeping into the room"bad - having undesirable or negative qualities; "a bad report card"; "his sloppy appearance made a bad impression"; "a bad little boy"; "clothes in bad shape"; "a bad cut"; "bad luck"; "the news was very bad"; "the reviews were bad"; "the pay is bad"; "it was a bad light for reading"; "the movie was a bad choice" | |
| 3. | terrible - intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality; "severe pain"; "a severe case of flu"; "a terrible cough"; "under wicked fire from the enemy's guns"; "a wicked cough" intense - possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree; "intense heat"; "intense anxiety"; "intense desire"; "intense emotion"; "the skunk's intense acrid odor"; "intense pain"; "enemy fire was intense" | |
| 4. | terrible - extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact; "in a frightful hurry"; "spent a frightful amount of money" colloquialism - a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech extraordinary - beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable; "extraordinary authority"; "an extraordinary achievement"; "her extraordinary beauty"; "enjoyed extraordinary popularity"; "an extraordinary capacity for work"; "an extraordinary session of the legislature" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
terrible
adjective
1. awful, shocking, appalling, terrifying, horrible, dreadful, horrifying, dread, dreaded, fearful, horrendous, monstrous, harrowing, gruesome, horrid, unspeakable, frightful, hellacious (U.S. slang) Thousands suffered terrible injuries in the disaster.
2. (Informal) bad, awful, dreadful, beastly (informal), dire, abysmal, abhorrent, poor, offensive, foul, unpleasant, revolting, rotten (informal), obscene, hideous, vile, from hell (informal), obnoxious, repulsive, frightful, odious, hateful, loathsome, shitty (taboo slang), godawful (slang) I have the most terrible nightmares.
bad great, wonderful, excellent, fine, brilliant, very good, magic, remarkable, superb, pleasant, terrific, delightful, admirable, super, noteworthy
bad great, wonderful, excellent, fine, brilliant, very good, magic, remarkable, superb, pleasant, terrific, delightful, admirable, super, noteworthy
3. ill, sick, unwell, poorly, rough (informal), faint, crook (Austral. & N.Z. informal), dizzy, lousy (informal), nauseated, queasy, out of sorts, nauseous, off colour (Brit. informal), under the weather (informal), indisposed, peaky, wabbit (Scot. informal) I did feel terrible at the time but I'm all right now.
4. very bad, poor, inadequate, awful, appalling (informal), pants (Brit. informal), dreadful, useless (informal), hopeless, pathetic (informal), dire (informal), inferior, duff (Brit. informal), unsatisfactory, lousy (informal), pitiful (informal), laughable, atrocious, abysmal (informal), frightful, substandard, crummy (informal) She admits her French is terrible.
5. serious, desperate, severe, extreme, bad, dangerous, insufferable He claimed that he had a terrible pain in his head. We are in terrible trouble.
serious mild, insignificant, paltry, small, moderate, harmless
serious mild, insignificant, paltry, small, moderate, harmless
6. unkind, nasty, cruel, off (informal), mean, dirty (informal), unfair, foul, beastly (informal), unacceptable, unpleasant, poisonous, shabby, vile, malicious, low-down (informal), hurtful, out of order (Brit. informal), unwarranted, obnoxious, despicable, spiteful, hateful, mean-spirited, contemptible, shitty (taboo slang), wretched, uncharitable, below the belt, uncalled for, dirty rotten (informal) It was a terrible thing to do to someone.
7. incorrigible, right (Brit. informal), real, great, shocking, impossible (informal), extreme, awful, proper (Brit. informal), dreadful, outrageous, fearful (informal), frightful She's a terrible flirt - a real man-eater.
8. guilty, sorry, ashamed, apologetic, chastened, contrite, repentant, guilt-ridden, remorseful, regretful, penitent, shamefaced, full of regret, conscious-stricken, self-reproachful He said he felt terrible about cancelling the concert.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
terrible
adjective1. Causing or able to cause fear:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
سَيِّئ جدافَظيع، رَهيب، مُؤْلِم جدامُرْعِب، مُخيفمُرَوِّع
hroznýmizernýděsivě
forfærdeligfrygteliggrusom
kauheakauhistuttavamahtavapelottavahirveä
grozan
borzasztórémesrettenetesszörnyű
hræîilegurskelfilegur
ひどい
무서운
briesmīgsdrausmīgsšausmīgs
grozenstrašen
fruktansvärd
ซึ่งแย่มาก
khủng khiếp
terrible
[ˈterəbl] ADJ1. (= very unpleasant) [experience, accident, disease] → terrible, espantoso
it was a terrible thing to have happened → era terrible que hubiese sucedido algo así
it was a terrible thing to see → era horrible verlo
the terrible thing is that I've lost it → lo peor de todo es que lo he perdido
it was a terrible thing to have happened → era terrible que hubiese sucedido algo así
it was a terrible thing to see → era horrible verlo
the terrible thing is that I've lost it → lo peor de todo es que lo he perdido
2. (= very bad) [weather, food] → horrible, espantoso
her French is terrible → habla fatal el francés, habla un francés espantoso
"what was it like?" - "terrible!" → -¿qué tal fue? -¡espantoso!
I'm terrible at cooking → se me da fatal la cocina
I'm terrible at remembering names → se me da fatal recordar (los) nombres, soy malísimo para recordar (los) nombres
I've got a terrible cold → tengo un resfriado espantoso
I've had a terrible day at the office → he tenido un día malísimo or horrible en la oficina
to feel terrible (= guilty, ill) → sentirse fatal or muy mal
to look terrible (= ill) → tener muy mal aspecto
she looked terrible in that trouser suit → ese traje pantalón le quedaba fatal
I've got a terrible memory → tengo una memoria malísima
I've made a terrible mistake → he cometido un terrible error
you sound terrible, is something wrong? → ¡vaya tono!, ¿pasa algo?
we had a terrible time → lo pasamos fatal
her French is terrible → habla fatal el francés, habla un francés espantoso
"what was it like?" - "terrible!" → -¿qué tal fue? -¡espantoso!
I'm terrible at cooking → se me da fatal la cocina
I'm terrible at remembering names → se me da fatal recordar (los) nombres, soy malísimo para recordar (los) nombres
I've got a terrible cold → tengo un resfriado espantoso
I've had a terrible day at the office → he tenido un día malísimo or horrible en la oficina
to feel terrible (= guilty, ill) → sentirse fatal or muy mal
to look terrible (= ill) → tener muy mal aspecto
she looked terrible in that trouser suit → ese traje pantalón le quedaba fatal
I've got a terrible memory → tengo una memoria malísima
I've made a terrible mistake → he cometido un terrible error
you sound terrible, is something wrong? → ¡vaya tono!, ¿pasa algo?
we had a terrible time → lo pasamos fatal
3. (as intensifier) (= great) [pity, shame] → verdadero
I've been a terrible fool → he sido un verdadero imbécil
the garden is in a terrible mess → el jardín está hecho un verdadero desastre
it was or it came as a terrible shock → fue un golpe terrible
he's having terrible trouble with his homework → le está costando horrores or un montón hacer los deberes
I've been a terrible fool → he sido un verdadero imbécil
the garden is in a terrible mess → el jardín está hecho un verdadero desastre
it was or it came as a terrible shock → fue un golpe terrible
he's having terrible trouble with his homework → le está costando horrores or un montón hacer los deberes
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
terrible
[ˈtɛrɪbəl] adj (= very unpleasant) [experience, shock, nightmare] → terrible; [conditions, life, news] → terrible; [heat, sight] → terrible; [conditions] → terrible, épouvantable
(= very serious) [injuries, accident, disease, consequences, storm] → terrible
(= ill) to feel terrible → se sentir très mal, ne pas se sentir bien du tout
to look terrible → n'avoir pas l'air bien du tout
to look terrible → n'avoir pas l'air bien du tout
(of very bad quality) [hotel, food, memory, weather] → épouvantable
My French is terrible → Mon français est épouvantable.
I've had a terrible day at the office → J'ai eu une journée épouvantable au bureau.
My French is terrible → Mon français est épouvantable.
I've had a terrible day at the office → J'ai eu une journée épouvantable au bureau.
(for emphasis) (= great)
It's a terrible waste! → C'est vraiment du gâchis!
He's a terrible liar → C'est un grand menteur., C'est un incroyable menteur.
I was a terrible fool → J'ai été vraiment bête.
It's a terrible waste! → C'est vraiment du gâchis!
He's a terrible liar → C'est un grand menteur., C'est un incroyable menteur.
I was a terrible fool → J'ai été vraiment bête.
(= guilty) to feel terrible about sth → s'en vouloir pour qch, s'en vouloir terriblement pour qch
to feel terrible for doing sth → s'en vouloir de faire (or d'avoir fait) qch, s'en vouloir terriblement de faire (or d'avoir fait) qch
to feel terrible for doing sth → s'en vouloir de faire (or d'avoir fait) qch, s'en vouloir terriblement de faire (or d'avoir fait) qch
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
terrible
adj
→ schrecklich, furchtbar; he is terrible at golf → er spielt schrecklich (inf) → or furchtbar schlecht Golf; I feel terrible (= feel ill) → mir ist fürchterlich schlecht; (= feel guilty) → es ist mir furchtbar peinlich; to sound terrible (= ill) → sich schrecklich anhören; I sound terrible on tape → auf Band klinge ich furchtbar
(inf: = absolute) fool → furchtbar
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
terrible
[ˈtɛrəbl] adj (gen) → terribile, tremendo/a; (play, film) → orrendo/a; (performance, report) → pessimo/a; (weather) → bruttissimo/ato be terrible at sth → essere un disastro in qc
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
terrible
(ˈterəbl) adjective1. very bad. a terrible singer; That music is terrible!
2. causing great pain, suffering, hardship etc. War is terrible; It was a terrible disaster.
3. causing great fear or horror. The noise of the guns was terrible.
ˈterribly adverb1. very. She is terribly clever.
2. in a terrible way. Does your leg hurt terribly?
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
terrible
→ مُرَوِّع hrozný frygtelig schrecklich τρομερός atroz kauhea horrible grozan terribile ひどい 무서운 vreselijk grusom straszny terrível ужасный fruktansvärd ซึ่งแย่มาก korkunç khủng khiếp 很糟的Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
terrible
a. terrible.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
Collins Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009