Search Result for "awful": 
Wordnet 3.0

ADJECTIVE (6)

1. exceptionally bad or displeasing;
- Example: "atrocious taste"
- Example: "abominable workmanship"
- Example: "an awful voice"
- Example: "dreadful manners"
- Example: "a painful performance"
- Example: "terrible handwriting"
- Example: "an unspeakable odor came sweeping into the room"
[syn: atrocious, abominable, awful, dreadful, painful, terrible, unspeakable]

2. causing fear or dread or terror;
- Example: "the awful war"
- Example: "an awful risk"
- Example: "dire news"
- Example: "a career or vengeance so direful that London was shocked"
- Example: "the dread presence of the headmaster"
- Example: "polio is no longer the dreaded disease it once was"
- Example: "a dreadful storm"
- Example: "a fearful howling"
- Example: "horrendous explosions shook the city"
- Example: "a terrible curse"
[syn: awful, dire, direful, dread(a), dreaded, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, frightening, horrendous, horrific, terrible]

3. offensive or even (of persons) malicious;
- Example: "in a nasty mood"
- Example: "a nasty accident"
- Example: "a nasty shock"
- Example: "a nasty smell"
- Example: "a nasty trick to pull"
- Example: "Will he say nasty things at my funeral?"- Ezra Pound
[syn: nasty, awful]

4. inspired by a feeling of fearful wonderment or reverence;
- Example: "awed by the silence"
- Example: "awful worshippers with bowed heads"
[syn: awed, awful]

5. extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact;
- Example: "in a frightful hurry"
- Example: "spent a frightful amount of money"
[syn: frightful, terrible, awful, tremendous]

6. inspiring awe or admiration or wonder;
- Example: "New York is an amazing city"
- Example: "the Grand Canyon is an awe-inspiring sight"
- Example: "the awesome complexity of the universe"
- Example: "this sea, whose gently awful stirrings seem to speak of some hidden soul beneath"- Melville
- Example: "Westminster Hall's awing majesty, so vast, so high, so silent"
[syn: amazing, awe-inspiring, awesome, awful, awing]


ADVERB (1)

1. used as intensifiers;
- Example: "terribly interesting"
- Example: "I'm awful sorry"
[syn: terribly, awfully, awful, frightfully]



The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Awful \Aw"ful\, a.
   1. Oppressing with fear or horror; appalling; terrible; as,
      an awful scene. "The hour of Nature's awful throes."
      --Hemans.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Inspiring awe; filling with profound reverence, or with
      fear and admiration; fitted to inspire reverential fear;
      profoundly impressive.
      [1913 Webster]

            Heaven's awful Monarch.               --Milton.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Struck or filled with awe; terror-stricken. [Obs.]
      [1913 Webster]

            A weak and awful reverence for antiquity. --I.
                                                  Watts.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. Worshipful; reverential; law-abiding. [Obs.]
      [1913 Webster]

            Thrust from the company of awful men. --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. Frightful; exceedingly bad; great; -- applied intensively;
      as, an awful bonnet; an awful boaster. [Slang]
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: See Frightful.
        [1913 Webster]


WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

awful
    adv 1: used as intensifiers; "terribly interesting"; "I'm awful
           sorry" [syn: terribly, awfully, awful,
           frightfully]
    adj 1: 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" [syn: atrocious, abominable, awful,
           dreadful, painful, terrible, unspeakable]
    2: 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" [syn: awful, dire,
       direful, dread(a), dreaded, dreadful, fearful,
       fearsome, frightening, horrendous, horrific,
       terrible]
    3: offensive or even (of persons) malicious; "in a nasty mood";
       "a nasty accident"; "a nasty shock"; "a nasty smell"; "a
       nasty trick to pull"; "Will he say nasty things at my
       funeral?"- Ezra Pound [syn: nasty, awful] [ant: nice]
    4: inspired by a feeling of fearful wonderment or reverence;
       "awed by the silence"; "awful worshippers with bowed heads"
       [syn: awed, awful]
    5: extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact; "in a
       frightful hurry"; "spent a frightful amount of money" [syn:
       frightful, terrible, awful, tremendous]
    6: inspiring awe or admiration or wonder; "New York is an
       amazing city"; "the Grand Canyon is an awe-inspiring sight";
       "the awesome complexity of the universe"; "this sea, whose
       gently awful stirrings seem to speak of some hidden soul
       beneath"- Melville; "Westminster Hall's awing majesty, so
       vast, so high, so silent" [syn: amazing, awe-inspiring,
       awesome, awful, awing]