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Deadly vs Awful - What's the difference?

deadly | awful | Synonyms |

Deadly is a synonym of awful.


In obsolete|lang=en terms the difference between deadly and awful

is that deadly is (obsolete) fatally, mortally while awful is (obsolete) terror-stricken.

As adjectives the difference between deadly and awful

is that deadly is (lb) subject to death; mortal while awful is oppressing with fear or horror; appalling, terrible.

As adverbs the difference between deadly and awful

is that deadly is (obsolete) fatally, mortally while awful is (colloquial) very, extremely; as, an awful big house.

deadly

English

Adjective

(en-adj)
  • (lb) Subject to death; mortal.
  • *:
  • *:And whan he cam to the sacrament of the masse / and had done / anone he called Galahad and sayd to hym come forthe the seruaunt of Ihesu cryst and thou shalt see that thou hast moche desyred to see / & thenne he beganne to tremble ryght hard / whan the dedely flesshe beganne to beholde the spyrytuel thynges
  • *Wyclif Bible, (w) i. 23
  • *:The image of a deadly man.
  • Causing death; lethal.
  • Aiming or willing to destroy; implacable; desperately hostile.
  • :
  • *(William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
  • *:Thy assailant is quick, skillful, and deadly .
  • (lb) Very accurate (of aiming with a bow, firearm, etc.).
  • *
  • *:But then I had the [massive] flintlock by me for protection. ¶, and a 'bead' could be drawn upon Molly, the dairymaid, kissing the fogger behind the hedge, little dreaming that the deadly tube was levelled at them.
  • (lb) Very boring.
  • *
  • *:“I don't mean all of your friends—only a small proportion—which, however, connects your circle with that deadly , idle, brainless bunch—the insolent chatterers at the opera, the gorged dowagers, the worn-out, passionless men, the enervated matrons of the summer capital,!”
  • (lb) Excellent, awesome, cool.

    • Derived terms

    * deadly sin

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • (obsolete) Fatally, mortally.
  • *, Folio Society, 2006, p.16:
    • perceiving himselfe deadly wounded by a shot received in his body, being by his men perswaded to come off and retire himselfe from out the throng, answered, he would not now so neere his end, begin to turn his face from his enemie
  • In a way which suggests death.
    • Her face suddenly became deadly white.
  • Extremely.
    • deadly weary — Orrery.
    so deadly cunning a man — Arbuthnot.

    Related terms

    * dead

    awful

    English

    Alternative forms

    * awfull (archaic)

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • Oppressing with fear or horror; appalling, terrible.
  • Inspiring awe; filling with profound reverence or respect; profoundly impressive.
  • *, I.56:
    • God ought not to be commixed in our actions, but with awful reverence, and an attention full of honour and respect.
  • * 1819 , Lord Byron, Don Juan , II.143:
    • And then she stopped, and stood as if in awe / (For sleep is awful ).
  • Struck or filled with awe.
  • (obsolete) Terror-stricken.
  • Worshipful; reverential; law-abiding.
  • Exceedingly great; usually applied intensively.
    • an awful bonnet
    I have learnt an awful amount today.
  • Very bad.
    • My socks smell awful .

    Usage notes

    * Nouns to which "awful" is often applied: day, truth, time, place, moment, mess, night, news, state, situation, smell, thought, person, pain, movie, consequence, crime, fate, death, tragedy, man, event, disease, story, condition, mistake, taste, picture, year, calamity, doom, film, catastrophe, secret, performance, storm, end, week, shape, choice.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Adverb

    (-)
  • (colloquial) Very, extremely; as, an awful big house.

    • See also

    * awfully.

    External links

    * *