terrible - terribly

terrible - terribly
◊ 'terrible'
The adjective terrible is used in two ways.
\
In conversation, you use it to say that something is very unpleasant or of very poor quality.

I know this has been a terrible shock to you.

His eyesight was terrible.

\
In writing or conversation, you use terrible to say that something is very shocking or distressing.

That was a terrible air crash last week.

\
◊ 'terribly'
The adverb terribly is sometimes used to emphasize how shocking or distressing something is.

The gang beat up Mahesh terribly.

The wound bled terribly.

\
However, terribly is much more commonly used to emphasize that someone or something has a feeling or quality to a great extent.

I'm terribly sorry.

I've always been terribly fond of you.

She had missed him terribly.

It's a terribly dull place.

\
You do not use terribly like this in formal writing.
\

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • terribly — terrible, terribly have gone the way of other words of this type, such as awful / awfully, dreadful / dreadfully, frightful / frightfully; that is, terrible intensifies something by definition bad (a terrible mistake) and terribly intensifies… …   Modern English usage

  • terrible — terrible, terribly have gone the way of other words of this type, such as awful / awfully, dreadful / dreadfully, frightful / frightfully; that is, terrible intensifies something by definition bad (a terrible mistake) and terribly intensifies… …   Modern English usage

  • terribly — dreadfully, 1520s, see TERRIBLE (Cf. terrible); in the sense of extremely it is first recorded 1833; in the sense of extremely badly it dates from 1930 …   Etymology dictionary

  • terribly — [ter′ə blē] adv. 1. in a terrible manner 2. extremely; very [a terribly funny man] …   English World dictionary

  • Terribly — Terrible Ter ri*ble, a. [F., fr. L. terribilis, fr. terrere to frighten. See {Terror}.] 1. Adapted or likely to excite terror, awe, or dread; dreadful; formidable. [1913 Webster] Prudent in peace, and terrible in war. Prior. [1913 Webster] Thou… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • terrible — [[t]te̱rɪb(ə)l[/t]] ♦♦ 1) ADJ GRADED A terrible experience or situation is very serious or very unpleasant. Tens of thousands more suffered terrible injuries in the world s worst industrial disaster... I often have the most terrible nightmares …   English dictionary

  • terrible — / teribFl/ adjective 1 extremely severe in a way that causes harm or damage: a terrible accident | The poor lad took a terrible beating. 2 making you feel afraid or shocked: There was a terrible noise and the roof caved in. 3 informal extremely… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • terribly — /ter euh blee/, adv. 1. in a terrible manner. 2. Informal. extremely; very: It s terribly late. I m terribly sorry. [1520 30; TERRIBLE + LY] * * * …   Universalium

  • terrible — 01. I m a [terrible] hockey player; even my neighbor s six year old son is better than me. 02. The movie was really [terrible]; I can t imagine why it got such good reviews. 03. She was [terribly] upset after having her purse stolen. 04. Turn the …   Grammatical examples in English

  • terrible — adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin terribilis, from terrēre to frighten more at terror Date: 15th century 1. a. exciting extreme alarm or intense fear ; terrifying b. formidable in nature ; awesome < a terrible… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”