Diabolical

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; devilish; infernal; impious; as, a diabolic or diabolical temper or act; the diabolical expression on his face; fires lit up a diabolic scene. ``Diabolic power.'' --Milton. ``The diabolical institution.'' --Motley.

Syn: devilish, mephistophelian, mephistophelean. [1913 Webster]

2. showing a wicked cunning or ingenuity; as, the cold calculation and diabolic art of some statesmen.

Syn: devilish, mephistophelian, mephistophelean. [WordNet 1.5]

3. extremely evil or cruel; atrocious; outrageously wicked; as, diabolical sorcerers under the influence of devils; diabolical torturers taking pleasure in their craft.

Syn: demonic, fiendish, hellish, infernal, nefarious, satanic. [1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5] -- {Di`a*bol"ic*al*ly}, adv. -- {Di`a*bol"ic*al*ness}, n.


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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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 — [[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

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