[syn: grotesque, monstrous]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Monstrous \Mon"strous\, adv.
Exceedingly; very; very much. "A monstrous thick oil on the
top." --Bacon.
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And will be monstrous witty on the poor. --Dryden.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Monstrous \Mon"strous\ (m[o^]n"str[u^]s), a. [OE. monstruous, F.
monstrueux, fr. L. monstruosus, fr. monstrum. See Monster.]
1. Marvelous; strange. [Obs.]
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2. Having the qualities of a monster; deviating greatly from
the natural form or character; abnormal; as, a monstrous
birth. --Locke.
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He, therefore, that refuses to do good to them whom
he is bound to love . . . is unnatural and monstrous
in his affections. --Jer. Taylor.
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3. Extraordinary in a way to excite wonder, dislike,
apprehension, etc.; -- said of size, appearance, color,
sound, etc.; as, a monstrous height; a monstrous ox; a
monstrous story.
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4. Extraordinary on account of ugliness, viciousness, or
wickedness; hateful; horrible; dreadful.
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So bad a death argues a monstrous life. --Shak.
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5. Abounding in monsters. [R.]
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Where thou, perhaps, under the whelming tide
Visitest the bottom of the monstrous world.
--Milton.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
monstrous
adj 1: abnormally large
2: shockingly brutal or cruel; "murder is an atrocious crime";
"a grievous offense against morality"; "a grievous crime";
"no excess was too monstrous for them to commit" [syn:
atrocious, flagitious, grievous, monstrous]
3: distorted and unnatural in shape or size; abnormal and
hideous; "tales of grotesque serpents eight fathoms long that
churned the seas"; "twisted into monstrous shapes" [syn:
grotesque, monstrous]