Diabolic

Diabolic
Diabolic Di`a*bol"ic, Diabolical Di`a*bol"ic*al, a. [L. diabolicus, Gr. ? devilish, slanderous: cf. F. diabolique. See {Devil}.] 1. Pertaining to the devil; resembling, or appropriate, or appropriate to, the devil; befitting hell or satan; devilish; infernal; impious; as, a diabolic or diabolical temper or act; the diabolical expression on his face; fires lit up a diabolic scene. ``Diabolic power.'' --Milton. ``The diabolical institution.'' --Motley.

Syn: devilish, mephistophelian, mephistophelean. [1913 Webster]

2. showing a wicked cunning or ingenuity; as, the cold calculation and diabolic art of some statesmen.

Syn: devilish, mephistophelian, mephistophelean. [WordNet 1.5]

3. extremely evil or cruel; atrocious; outrageously wicked; as, diabolical sorcerers under the influence of devils; diabolical torturers taking pleasure in their craft.

Syn: demonic, fiendish, hellish, infernal, nefarious, satanic. [1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5] -- {Di`a*bol"ic*al*ly}, adv. -- {Di`a*bol"ic*al*ness}, n.


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • diabolic — DIABÓLIC, Ă, diabolici, ce, adj. 1. De diavol; care vine de la diavol; drăcesc. 2. Care denotă o mare cruzime, rău, crud; perfid, viclean; primejdios, funest. [pr.: di a ] – Din fr. diabolique, lat. diabolicus. Trimis de RACAI, 13.09.2007. Sursa …   Dicționar Român

  • diabolic — diabolic, diabolical Diabolic is used primarily with direct reference to the devil (as in Byron s Satan…merely bent his diabolic brow an instant, 1822), whereas diabolical is used overwhelmingly in its extended meanings ‘bad, disgraceful, awful’ …   Modern English usage

  • diabolic — I adjective accursed, amoral, amoralistic, bad hearted, brutal, brutalized, callous, conscienceless, cruel, cursed, deadly, dehumanized, demoniac, demonic, devil like, devilish, evil, evil doing, evil minded, execrable, fiendish, fiendlike, full… …   Law dictionary

  • diabolic — late 14c., from O.Fr. diabolique (13c.), from L.L. diabolicus, from Eccles. Gk. diabolikos devilish, from diabolos (see DEVIL (Cf. devil)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • diabolic — [adj] evil, fiendish atrocious, cruel, damnable, demoniac, demonic, devilish, hellish, impious, infernal, Mephistophelian, monstrous, nasty, nefarious, satanic, serpentine, shocking, unhallowed, unpleasant, vicious, vile, villainous, wicked;… …   New thesaurus

  • diabolic — [dī΄ə bäl′ik] adj. [Fr diabolique < LL(Ec) diabolicus < diabolus: see DEVIL] 1. of the Devil or devils 2. very wicked or cruel; fiendish: Also diabolical diabolically adv …   English World dictionary

  • Diabolic — Not to be confused with Diabolic (rap artist). Diabolic Origin Tampa Bay, Florida, United States Genres Death metal Years active 1998 present Labels Fadeless Records, Conquest …   Wikipedia

  • diabolic — [[t]da͟ɪ͟əbɒ̱lɪk[/t]] 1) ADJ: ADJ n Diabolic is used to describe things that people think are caused by or belong to the Devil. [FORMAL] ...the diabolic forces which lurk in all violence. 2) ADJ (emphasis) If you describe something as diabolic,… …   English dictionary

  • diabolic — adjective /ˌdaɪəˈbɒlɪk/ a) Showing wickedness typical of a devil. diabolic magic square b) Extremely evil or cruel. a cunning and diabolic plot Syn: devilish, mephistophelian, mephi …   Wiktionary

  • diabolic — /daɪəˈbɒlɪk / (say duyuh bolik) adjective 1. having the qualities of a devil; fiendish; outrageously wicked: a diabolic plot. 2. relating to or actuated by the devil or a devil: *Behind him the old woman whistled screeches in a diabolic effort to …  

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