[gris.ly] adj gris.li.er ; -est [ME, fr. OE grislic, fr. gris- (akin to OE agrisan to fear); akin to OHG grisenlih terrible] (12c) 1: inspiring horror or intense fear "houses that were dark and ~ under the blank, cold sky --D. H. Lawrence"
2: inspiring disgust or distaste "a ~ account of the fire" syn see ghastly -- gris.li.ness n