I. ˈhȯrəbəl, ˈhär- adjective
Etymology: Middle English orrible, horrible, from Middle French, from Latin horribilis, from horrēre to bristle, tremble, shudder + -ibilis -ible — more at horror
1. : marked by or conducive to horror : likely to arouse fear, dread, or abhorrence
coconuts in the horrible likeness of a head shrunken by headhunters — Sinclair Lewis
her hearers derived a horrible enjoyment from … her wrath — Charles Dickens
2. : extremely unpleasant or disagreeable : conducive to feelings of acute dislike, disgust, or repulsion
of all horrors in this blessed town, snow is the most horrible — W.M.Thackeray
the weather is always horrible when I travel — Aldous Huxley
Synonyms: see fearful
II. adverb
Etymology: Middle English orrible, horrible, from orrible, horrible, adjective
: to an extreme degree : horribly , exceedingly
she was horrible mad
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: horrible (I)
: a horrible person or thing ; specifically : a person fantastically garbed (as for a masquerade or holiday parade) — usually used in plural
the horribles, grotesquely costumed children, will parade along a few … streets — Time
— see antiques and horribles