Dreadful vs Fierce - What's the difference?
dreadful | fierce |
Causing dread; very bad.
* 1900 , , (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz) Chapter 23
*, chapter=17
, title= * {{quote-news, year=2011, date=December 10, author=Marc Higginson, work=BBC Sport
, title= Extremely violent, severe, ferocious or savage.
Resolute or strenuously active.
Threatening in appearance or demeanor.
(slang, Ireland, rural) very, excellent.
(slang, US) Of exceptional quality, exhibiting boldness or chutzpah.
As adjectives the difference between dreadful and fierce
is that dreadful is causing dread; very bad while fierce is extremely violent, severe, ferocious or savage.As a noun dreadful
is a shocking or sensational crime.dreadful
English
Alternative forms
* (l) (archaic) * (l) (obsolete)Adjective
(en adjective)- "My greatest wish now," she added, "is to get back to Kansas, for Aunt Em will surely think something dreadful has happened to me, and that will make her put on mourning; and unless the crops are better this year than they were last, I am sure Uncle Henry cannot afford it."
The Mirror and the Lamp, passage=This time was most dreadful for Lilian. Thrown on her own resources and almost penniless, she maintained herself and paid the rent of a wretched room near the hospital by working as a charwoman, sempstress, anything. In a moment she had dropped to the level of a casual labourer.}}
Bolton 1-2 Aston Villa, passage=After a dreadful performance in the opening 45 minutes, they upped their game after the break and might have taken at least a point from the match.}}
Usage notes
* Nouns to which "dreadful" is often applied: day, night, state, news, time, secret, storm, mistake, accident, story, dream, havoc, truth, loss, act, life, thought, creature, curse, suffering.Derived terms
* penny dreadfulReferences
* (EtymOnLine)fierce
English
Adjective
(er)- A fierce storm battered the coast.
- We made a fierce attempt to escape.
- The lion gave a fierce roar.
- It was fierce cold.
- Q: "How was the party last night?" A: "Fierce !"
- Tyra said to strike a pose and make it fierce .