Dreadful

·adj Full of dread or terror; fearful.

II. Dreadful ·adj Inspiring awe or reverence; awful.

III. Dreadful ·adj Inspiring dread; impressing great fear; fearful; terrible; as, a dreadful storm.

dreadful
Very, exceedingly. This and the words awful, terrible, monstrous, &c., are indiscriminately used by ...

Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.