1.
[syn: ferocity, fierceness, furiousness, fury, vehemence, violence, wildness]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
fierceness \fierceness\ n.
the quality of being fierce; ferocity; fury; vehemence.
Syn: ferocity, furiousness, fury, vehemence, violence,
wildness, strength.
[WordNet 1.5 +PJC]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Fierce \Fierce\, a. [Compar. Fiercer; superl. Fiercest.]
[OE. fers, fiers, OF. fier, nom. fiers, fierce, savage,
cruel, F. fier proud, from L. ferus wild, savage, cruel;
perh. akin to E. bear the animal. Cf. Feral, Ferocity.]
1. Furious; violent; unrestrained; impetuous; as, a fierce
wind.
[1913 Webster]
His fierce thunder drove us to the deep. --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
2. Vehement in anger or cruelty; ready or eager to kill or
injure; of a nature to inspire terror; ferocious. "A
fierce whisper." --Dickens. "A fierce tyrant." --Pope.
[1913 Webster]
The fierce foe hung upon our broken rear. --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
Thou huntest me as a fierce lion. --Job. x. 16.
[1913 Webster]
3. Excessively earnest, eager, or ardent.
Syn: Ferocious; savage; cruel; vehement; impetuous;
barbarous; fell. See Ferocious. -- Fierce"ly, adv.
-- Fierce"ness, n.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
fierceness
n 1: the property of being wild or turbulent; "the storm's
violence" [syn: ferocity, fierceness, furiousness,
fury, vehemence, violence, wildness]