terrible

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Very bad; of poor quality.

   Whatever he thinks, he is a terrible driver.

2. 2
   adj

   Very unpleasant or upsetting.

   The food was terrible, but at least it was free.

3. 3
   adj

   Very great in degree; severe.

   He paid a terrible price for his years of drinking.

4. 4
   adj

   Causing fear or dread; frightening.

   The witch laid a terrible curse on him.

Common collocations

• terrible hurry Adjective + noun
• terrible mess Adjective + noun

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *tres- Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Proto-Indo-European *troséyeti Proto-Italic *trozeō Latin terreō Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlis Proto-Italic *-ðlis Latin -bilis Latin terribilisbor. Old French terriblebor. Middle English terrible English terrible Inherited from Middle English terrible, from Old French terrible, from Latin terribilis (“frightful”), from terreō (“to frighten, terrify, alarm; to deter by terror, scare (away)”). Compare terror, deter. By surface analysis, terror + -ible.

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