a. arch. [f. AFFRIGHT sb. + -FUL: cf. frightful.]
1. Exciting fright or terror; frightening, terrifying.
1618. T. Adams, Pract. Wks. (1861), II. 133. The night presents to the fantasy … many deceiving and affrightful imaginations.
1678. Cudworth, Intell. Syst., 68. Spectres, Bug-bears, or Affrightful Apparitions.
1693. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), III. 157. That island has frequent tremblings since the great earthquake, which is very affrightfull to the inhabitants.
1800. Coleridge, Wallenstein, I. iii. Wks. III. 266. Here every coming hour broods into life Some new affrightful monster.
† 2. Full of fear, timid. Obs. rare.
1631. Markham, Way to Wealth, II. I. xiv. (1668), 71. Fishes of eager bite, most foolish, least affrightful, and soonest deceived.
