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