AWFUL


Meaning of AWFUL in English

/ ˈɔːfl; NAmE / adjective , adverb

■ adjective

1.

( informal ) very bad or unpleasant :

That's an awful colour.

'They didn't even offer to pay.' 'Oh that's awful.'

It's awful, isn't it?

The weather last summer was awful.

I feel awful about forgetting her birthday.

to look / feel awful (= to look / feel ill)

There's an awful smell in here.

The awful thing is, it was my fault.

➡ note at terrible

2.

( informal ) used to emphasize sth, especially that there is a large amount or too much of sth :

It's going to cost an awful lot of money.

There's not an awful lot of room.

I feel an awful lot better than I did yesterday.

( BrE )

I had an awful job persuading him to come (= it was very difficult) .

3.

very shocking

SYN terrible :

the awful horrors of war

►  aw·ful·ness noun [ U ]:

the sheer awfulness of the situation

■ adverb

( informal , especially NAmE ) very; extremely :

Clint is awful smart.

••

WORD ORIGIN

Old English (see awe , -ful ).

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.