Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The quality of being frightful.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The quality of being frightful.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The quality of being frightful.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the quality of being frightful

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

frightful +‎ -ness

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Examples

  • When the future historian gives to another age his account of all that is included in German "frightfulness," there is no feature upon which he will dilate more emphatically than the extraordinary use made by the enemy of their Zeppelin fleet.

    Raemaekers' Cartoons With Accompanying Notes by Well-known English Writers Louis Raemaekers 1912

  • Once again German frightfulness had failed -- and failed badly -- to attain its desired end.

    The Submarine Hunters A Story of the Naval Patrol Work in the Great War Edward S. [Illustrator] Hodgson 1917

  • MIT Press The bombing for the sake of "frightfulness" (an imitation of the Germans) and the insolent demand for unconditional surrender, and the blind policy with Russia were all blunders as well as wrongs, and have produced a stale-mate where materially there was a clear victory.

    'The Letters of George Santayana' 2008

  • On the ship on which I crossed there were seamen who had been torpedoed three times In its submarine warfare the enemy has broken every international and human law -- has used "frightfulness" to its fullest extent, and the answer of our merchant seamen is to go to sea again as soon as the ship is ready, and the older men, who had retired, return to sea.

    Women and War Work Helen Fraser

  • Admiralty, and was able to state that, after two years of "frightfulness," the British mercantile marine was only a small fraction below its tonnage at the commencement.

    Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 152, February 21, 1917 Various

  • These doctrines of "frightfulness" are laid down by two of the foremost German writers on the Art of War.

    "The Red Watch" With the First Canadian Division in Flanders John Allister Currie

  • 'Aweel,' said the Minister, breaking the silence, 'I micht -- be offerin' hospitality to Macmanus, the banker; 'twould be the ceevil thing to do, but if he comes he's my guest, ye ken -- I maunna hae ony "frightfulness"; an 'the cuddy wull be locked up.'

    Border Ghost Stories Howard Pease

  • We observe that various German apologists, official and semi-official, admit that their country had been false to its pledged word, and dwell almost with pride on the "frightfulness" of the examples by which it has sought to spread terror in Belgium, but they excuse all these proceedings by a strange and novel plea.

    New York Times, Current History, Vol 1, Issue 1 From the Beginning to March, 1915 With Index Various

  • Then they sent St. Edmund a message to say that he must give up half his kingdom and pay heavy taxes, or they would do the most terrible "frightfulness" throughout the land.

    Stories of the Saints by Candle-Light

  • I am conscious even yet of the thrills that pricked my spine, as this monster with nineteen companions spurned the earth in a mad, rushing leap out into space and sailed away into the night to let the inhabitants of German towns know that "frightfulness" was a game at which two could play.

    The Fight for the Argonne Personal Experiences of a 'Y' Man William Benjamin West

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