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Awfulness

   Also found in: Wikipedia 0.03 sec.
aw·ful  (ôfl)
adj.
1. Extremely bad or unpleasant; terrible: had an awful day at the office.
2. Commanding awe: "this sea, whose gently awful stirrings seem to speak of some hidden soul beneath" (Herman Melville).
3. Filled with awe, especially:
a. Filled with or displaying great reverence.
b. Obsolete Afraid.
4. Formidable in nature or extent: an awful burden; an awful risk.
adv. Informal
Extremely; very: was awful sick.
[Middle English aweful, awe-inspiring, blend of awe, awe; see awe, and *ayfull, awful (from Old English egefull : ege, dread + -full, -ful).]
awful·ly adv.
awful·ness n.
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.awfulness - a quality of extreme unpleasantness
dreadfulness, horridness, terribleness
unpleasantness - the quality of giving displeasure; "the recent unpleasantness of the weather"
frightfulness - the quality of being frightful


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
What I mean is,' pursued Georgiana, 'that Ma being so endowed with awfulness, and Pa being so endowed with awfulness, and there being so much awfulness everywhere--I mean, at least, everywhere where I am--perhaps it makes me who am so deficient in awfulness, and frightened at it--I say it very badly--I don't know whether you can understand what I mean?
Our Mutual Friend by Dickens, Charles View in context
And do you imagine he realizes all the awfulness of my position?
Anna Karenina by Tolstoy, Leo View in context
Stunned, not alone by the realization of the awfulness of the fate of their rivals, but also by the terrific storm and the effect of the earthquake and the landslide, Tom and his friends remained for a moment gazing toward the mouth of the cavern, now completely out of sight, buried by a mass of broken trees, tangled bushes, rocks and earth.
Tom Swift In The Land Of Wonders by Appleton, Victor View in context
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