- diabolical
- \ \ see DEVIL
Word origins - 2ed. J. Ayto. 2005.
diabolical
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Diabolical — may refer to: Evil The Devil Diabolical (album) This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended art … Wikipedia
diabolical — ► ADJECTIVE 1) (also diabolic) of or like the Devil, especially in being evil or cruel. 2) informal very bad: a diabolical voice. DERIVATIVES diabolically adverb. ORIGIN from Greek diabolos accuser, slanderer (see DEVIL(Cf. ↑ … English terms dictionary
diabolical — index cruel, malevolent, malicious, malignant, nefarious, ruthless, sinister, vicious Burton s Legal Thesaurus … Law dictionary
diabolical — c.1500, pertaining to the devil, from diabolic (late 14c.) , from Fr. diabolique (see DIABOLIC (Cf. diabolic)) + AL (Cf. al) (1). Meaning befitting the devil is from 1540s. Related: Diabolically … Etymology dictionary
diabolical — diabolical, diabolic devilish, *fiendish, demoniac, demonic Analogous words: & Antonyms: see those at DEVILISH … New Dictionary of Synonyms
Diabolical — Diabolic Di a*bol ic, Diabolical Di a*bol ic*al, a. [L. diabolicus, Gr. ? devilish, slanderous: cf. F. diabolique. See {Devil}.] 1. Pertaining to the devil; resembling, or appropriate, or appropriate to, the devil; befitting hell or satan;… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
diabolical — [[t]da͟ɪ͟əbɒ̱lɪk(ə)l[/t]] 1) ADJ GRADED (emphasis) If you describe something as diabolical, you are emphasizing that it is very bad, extreme, or unpleasant. [INFORMAL] It was a diabolical error, a schoolboy error... The pain was diabolical. Syn:… … English dictionary
diabolical — diabolic, diabolical Diabolic is used primarily with direct reference to the devil (as in Byron s Satan…merely bent his diabolic brow an instant, 1822), whereas diabolical is used overwhelmingly in its extended meanings ‘bad, disgraceful, awful’ … Modern English usage
diabolical — adjective 1 also diabolic, evil or cruel: diabolical abuse | a diabolical plan to destroy him 2 informal especially BrE extremely unpleasant or bad: The toilets were in a diabolical state. diabolically / kli/ adverb … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
diabolical — di|a|bol|i|cal [ˌdaıəˈbɔlıkəl US ˈba: ] adj [Date: 1300 1400; : French; Origin: diabolique, from Greek diabolos devil ] 1.) also di|a|bol|ic [ˌdaıəˈbɔlık US ˈba: ] evil or cruel ▪ diabolical abuse 2.) BrE informal extremely unpleasant or bad ▪ … Dictionary of contemporary English
diabolical — di|a|bol|i|cal [ ,daıə balıkl ] adjective 1. ) evil or cruel: diabolical forces 2. ) MAINLY BRITISH INFORMAL very bad: The food at the hotel was diabolical. ╾ di|a|bol|i|cal|ly adverb … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
