I.frightful, dreadful, terrible (class.; syn.: dirus, horribilis, torvus).
I. Lit.: “quam terribilis aspectu!” Cic. Sest. 8, 19; cf.: “jam ipsi urbi terribilis erat,” Liv. 44, 10, 6: “furiis accensus et irā terribilis,” Verg. A. 12, 947: “terribilis cunctis et invisus,” Suet. Dom. 12: “noverca,” Ov. M. 1, 147: “fera,” id. H. 9, 34: “tyrannus affatu,” Stat. S. 3, 3, 73: “visu formae,” Verg. A. 6, 277: “vultus,” Ov. M. 1, 265: “squalor Charontis,” Verg. A. 6, 299; cf.: “incultu, tenebris, odore foeda atque terribilis ejus (carceris) facies est,” Sall. C. 55, 4: at tuba terribili sonitu taratantara dixit, Enn. ap. Prisc. p. 842 P. (Ann. v. 452 Vahl.): “sonitus,” Lucr. 6, 155: tumultus, Enn. ap. Fest. p. 153 Müll. (Ann. v. 311 Vahl.): “caligo,” Lucr. 6, 852: “mors,” Cic. Par. 2, 18: “horror,” Quint. 11, 3, 160: “exspectatio adventūs Jubae,” Suet. Caes. 66. — Comp.: “cujus (viri) virtute terribilior erat populus Romanus exteris gentibus,” Cic. Phil. 2, 26, 65: “cum alia aliis terribiliora afferentur,” Liv. 4, 26, 7: “majora ac terribiliora afferre,” id. 25, 29, 3.—
II. Transf., demanding reverence, venerable (late Lat.): “scripturae,” Cod. Just. 3, 1, 13.—Sup. seems not to occur.—Adv.: terrĭbĭlĭter , fearfully, dreadfully, terribly (late Lat.): “sonus caeli terribiliter concrepantis,” Arn. 2, 57: “admonere,” Aug. Conf. 12, 25: Vulg. Psa. 138, 14.—Comp. and sup. seem not to occur.
