a. (sb.) [ad. L. terrific-us terrifying, f. stem of terrēre to frighten: see -FIC. So obs. F. terrifique (15th c. in Godef.).]
1. Causing terror, terrifying; fitted to terrify; dreadful, terrible, frightful.
1667. Milton, P. L., VII. 497. The Serpent … with brazen Eyes And hairie Main terrific.
1718. Pope, Iliad, X. 300. In arms terrific their huge limbs they dress’d.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 345. Even Canonicus … the terrific Sachem of the Narragansetts, sued for peace.
1821. Craig, Lect. Drawing, iv. 214. I cannot … advise you to attempt any species of the terrific in painting.
1899. Ward, Hist. Dram. Lit. (ed. 2), I. 307. A terrific woodcut depicts the most sensational situation in the story.
2. Applied intensively to anything very severe or excessive. colloq. (Cf. awful, terrible, tremendous.)
1809. J. W. Croker, in Croker Papers, 12 Oct. I am … up to my eyes in business, the extent of which is quite terrific.
1855. Mrs. Carlyle, Lett. (1883), II. 262. The crowd was immense, and the applause terrific.
1899. J. Hutchinson, in Arch. Surg., X. No. 38. 177. The sensation of tingling burning pain remaining the same, while the itching is ‘terrific.’
B. sb. in pl. Terrific things.
1798. Anna Seward, Lett. (1811), V. 174. To exhibit, among his mock-terrifics, some pictures that have the genuine grandeur of horror.
Hence Terrificly adv. = TERRIFICALLY; Terrificness, the quality of being terrific.
1727. Bailey, vol. II., Terrifickness, Terribleness.
1894. Outing (U.S.) XXIV. 360/1. A low mountain … over which a terrificly steep path led.
1794. Adv. Elizabeth in Ruegen, 101. Her family wept and … told her the terrificness of marrying a widower with seven children.
