1.
A ~ idea or action is cruel or unpleasant.
...the ~ destructiveness of modern weapons.
ADJ: usu ADJ n
2.
You can use ~ to emphasize how extreme or difficult something is.
...a ~ puzzle.
ADJ: usu ADJ n emphasis
~ly
It is ~ly painful.
ADV
1.
A ~ idea or action is cruel or unpleasant.
...the ~ destructiveness of modern weapons.
ADJ: usu ADJ n
2.
You can use ~ to emphasize how extreme or difficult something is.
...a ~ puzzle.
ADJ: usu ADJ n emphasis
~ly
It is ~ly painful.
ADV
Collins COBUILD. Толковый словарь английского языка для изучающих язык Коллинз COBUILD (международная база данных языков Бирмингемского университета) . 2012