Syn. -- Awe; fear; affright; terror; horror; dismay; apprehension. See Reverence.
Dread, a. 1. Exciting great fear or apprehension; causing terror; frightful; dreadful.
A dread eternity! how surely mine.
Young.
2. Inspiring with reverential fear; awful' venerable; as, dread sovereign; dread majesty; dread tribunal.
Dread"a*ble (?), a. Worthy of being dreaded.
Dread"-bolt`ed (?), a. Armed with dreaded bolts. "Dread-bolted thunder." [Poetic] Shak.
Dread"er (?), n. One who fears, or lives in fear.
Dread"ful (?), a. 1. Full of dread or terror; fearful. [Obs.] "With dreadful heart." Chaucer.
2. Inspiring dread; impressing great fear; fearful; terrible; as, a dreadful storm. " Dreadful gloom." Milton.
For all things are less dreadful than they seem.
Wordsworth.