- horror
- [[t]hɒ̱rə(r), AM hɔ͟ːr-[/t]]
♦♦♦horrors1) N-UNCOUNT Horror is a feeling of great shock, fear, and worry caused by something extremely unpleasant.
I felt numb with horror...
As I watched in horror the boat began to power away from me.
Syn:2) N-SING: N of n If you have a horror of something, you are afraid of it or dislike it very much....his horror of death.
3) N-SING: oft N of n The horror of something, especially something that hurts people, is its very great unpleasantness....the horror of this most bloody of civil wars.
4) N-COUNT: usu pl You can refer to extremely unpleasant or frightening experiences as horrors.Can you possibly imagine all the horrors we have undergone since I last wrote you?
5) N-COUNT If you refer to someone or something as a horror, you mean that you think they are very unpleasant or ugly. [INFORMAL]Our host was arrogant and offensive. How his sweet wife could tolerate such a horror was baffling.
6) ADJ: ADJ n A horror film or story is intended to be very frightening....a psychological horror film.
7) ADJ: ADJ n You can refer to an account of a very unpleasant experience or event as a horror story....a horror story about lost luggage while flying.
8) PHRASE: PHR with cl Horror of horrors is used to refer to something that you consider to be the worst part of a situation. [HUMOROUS, INFORMAL]The company has already boosted its share of the UK tea market with its round tea bags. Now it is successfully converting the nation to (horror of horrors) instant tea.
English dictionary. 2008.
