| Title | monstrous | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Text |
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary mon·strous
\\ˈmän(t)-strəs\\ adjective DATE 15th century 1. obsolete : strange , unnatural 2. having extraordinary often overwhelming size : gigantic 3. a. having the qualities or appearance of a monster b. obsolete : teeming with monsters 4. a. extraordinarily ugly or vicious : horrible b. shockingly wrong or ridiculous 5. deviating greatly from the natural form or character : abnormal 6. very great — used as an intensive • mon·strous·ly adverb • mon·strous·ness noun Synonyms. monstrous , prodigious , tremendous , stupendous mean extremely impressive. monstrous implies a departure from the normal (as in size, form, or character) and often carries suggestions of deformity, ugliness, or fabulousness the monstrous waste of the project prodigious suggests a marvelousness exceeding belief, usually in something felt as going far beyond a previous maximum (as of goodness, greatness, intensity, or size) made a prodigious effort and rolled the stone aside tremendous may imply a power to terrify or inspire awe the tremendous roar of the cataract stupendous implies a power to stun or astound, usually because of size, numbers, complexity, or greatness beyond description a stupendous volcanic eruption
adverb DATE 1590 chiefly dialect : very , extremely a monstrous long raft — Mark Twain English Etymology monstrous mid-15c., "unnatural, deviating from the natural order, hideous," from L. monstruosus "strange, unnatural," from monstrum (see monster). Meaning "enormous" is from c.1500; that of "outrageously wrong" is from 1570s. Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7 monstrous mon·strous / 5mCnstrEs; NAmE 5mB:n- / adjective1. considered to be shocking and unacceptable because it is morally wrong or unfair 丑恶的；道德败坏的；骇人的 SYN outrageous :
a monstrous lie / injustice 弥天大谎；骇人听闻的不公 2. very large 巨大的 SYN gigantic :
a monstrous wave 巨浪 3. very large, ugly and frightening 巨大的；丑陋的；骇人的 SYN horrifying :
a monstrous figure / creature 巨大的人影；骇人的动物 • mon·strous·ly adv.: monstrously unfair 极不公正 a monstrously fat man 胖得吓人的男子 Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged mon·strous I. \ˈmänztrəs, -n(t)st-\ adjective Etymology: Middle English monstrows, from Middle French monstrueux, from Latin monstruosus, from monstrum monster + -osus -ous — more at monster 1. obsolete : strange , unnatural < this ingrateful seat of monstrous friends — Shakespeare > 2. : having extraordinary often overwhelming size : unusually and often unpleasantly big : huge , gigantic , mammoth < the moon like a monstrous crystal — G.K.Chesterton > < a monstrous precipice — Thomas Gray > < clad in monstrous coat and huge shoes — C.F.Wittke > < the task may well appear monstrous — C.W.Shumaker > < he seemed of monstrous bulk and significance — G.D.Brown > 3. a. : having the qualities or appearance of a monster < the subtle, monstrous horror that broke forth last night and went prowling about the old hallways — W.H.Wright > < hate, a monstrous sun that dissolves the bones in the body — Edith Sitwell > b. obsolete : teeming with monsters < under the whelming tide visit'st the bottom of the monstrousworld — John Milton > 4. a. : extraordinary because of ugliness or viciousness : atrocious , horrible < the monstrous gang who were bringing his country to ruins — Harrison Smith > < a monstrous joke, a deception of matchless cruelty — B.R.Redman > b. : shockingly wrong or ridiculous < the legend assumed monstrous proportions — Louis Untermeyer > < the search for truth was largely diverted … into a monstrousand deadening discussion — P.E.More > 5. : deviating greatly from the natural form or character : abnormal , malformed < a monstrous fetus > < a monstrous melon > 6. : very great — used as an intensive < the monstrous agnostic — Alistair Cooke > < awakened … by a monstrous hammering on his door — G.D.Brown > Synonyms: prodigious , tremendous , stupendous , monumental : monstrous applies to what is like a monster usually in being abnormally large or often in being deformed or fabulously formed < a procession of some of the most obese and monstrous types of humanity. Almost naked, they wandered around the arena, mountains of flesh glistening in the electric light — Hugh Walpole > < monstrous, like a doll that is alive and bigger than the child who tries to hold it — Babette Deutsch > < a monstrous kind of a creature who had never had but one leg, and that in the middle of his body — R.L.Stevenson > prodigious describes what is extraordinarily vast or immense often unexpectedly or disproportionately < notice his prodigious strength. His hand actually seemed like a steel vice that could have crushed mine — Bram Stoker > < the demand was prodigious. Almost unimaginably huge quantities of cotton were consumed in its manufacture and virtual armies of men were engaged in making it — A.C.Morrison > tremendous may apply to the huge or gigantic that arouses dread or awe < the forces that tie an atom together are tremendous — Waldemar Kaempffert > < the younger rock slips from time to time, as some earth movement takes place, and the resultant tremendous jar is felt throughout the region — American Guide Series: Washington > stupendous describes what stuns or amazes, usually because of great size or number, vast complexity, or awesome force < mountain ranges, the most stupendous in the world — Faubion Bowers > < a ray of light tells us of a stupendous catastrophe that occurred in the constellation — Waldemar Kaempffert > monumental refers to that which is impressive or massive enough to serve as a monument — often used figuratively < statues are most successful when they are massive, monumental, and have something approaching an architectural context — John Dewey > < the monumental character demanded by Americans in their public buildings is achieved by the huge 32-story tower — American Guide Series: New York > Synonym: see in addition outrageous .II. adverb chiefly dialect : exceedingly , very < monstrous pretty girl she was too — Archibald Marshall > < she thought it monstrous vulgar — Harrietta Wilson > |
Learn with these flashcards. Click next, previous, or up to navigate to more flashcards for this subject.
Next card: Mont blanc merriam-webster's collegiate dictionary \\ˌmōⁿ-ˈbläⁿ\\ geographical mountain
Previous card: Monster a an animal b one large a
Up to card list: English learning