terrĭbĭlis, e, adj. [terreo], frightful, dreadful, terrible (class.; syn.: dirus, horribilis, torvus).
I Lit.: quam terribilis aspectu! Cic. Sest. 8, 19; cf.: jam ipsi urbi terribilis erat, Liv. 44, 10, 6: furiis accensus et irā terribilis, Verg. A. 12, 947: terribilis cunctis et invisus, Suet. Dom. 12: noverca, Ov. M. 1, 147: fera, id. H. 9, 34: tyrannus affatu, Stat. S. 3, 3, 73: visu formae, Verg. A. 6, 277: vultus, Ov. M. 1, 265: squalor Charontis, Verg. A. 6, 299; cf.: incultu, tenebris, odore foeda atque terribilis ejus (carceris) facies est, Sall. C. 55, 4: at tuba terribili sonitu taratantara dixit, Enn. ap. Prisc. p. 842 P. (Ann. v. 452 Vahl.): sonitus, Lucr. 6, 155: tumultus, Enn. ap. Fest. p. 153 Müll. (Ann. v. 311 Vahl.): caligo, Lucr. 6, 852: mors, Cic. Par. 2, 18: horror, Quint. 11, 3, 160: exspectatio adventūs Jubae, Suet. Caes. 66. — Comp. : cujus (viri) virtute terribilior erat populus Romanus exteris gentibus, Cic. Phil. 2, 26, 65: cum alia aliis terribiliora afferentur, Liv. 4, 26, 7: majora ac terribiliora afferre, id. 25, 29, 3.—
II Transf., demanding reverence , venerable (late Lat.): scripturae, Cod. Just. 3, 1, 13.— Sup. seems not to occur.—Adv.: terrĭbĭlĭter , fearfully , dreadfully , terribly (late Lat.): sonus caeli terribiliter concrepantis, Arn. 2, 57: admonere, Aug. Conf. 12, 25: Vulg. Psa. 138, 14.— Comp. and sup. seem not to occur.