gruesome English · revision 1338

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈɡɹuːsəm/ ''(UK)''; /ˈɡɹusəm/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It was formed from obsolete or dialect ''grue'' “to shudder”^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) and the suffix [[-some]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) ''Grue'' is from Middle English ''gruen'',^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) probably [[der|dum|grūwen|t=to shudder]] or Middle Low German ''gruwen''.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) It is related to German ''grauen'' “to feel horror”.^(Barnhart 1995)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Inspiring fear or horror (1570, as ''growsome'').^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is one of many Scottish words popularized in England by Walter Scott's novels.^(Etymonline) The sense “full of fear” (1869) is rare,^(OED 1989) and Random House records a weaker sense, “causing problems, distressing”.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1325 – ''gruen'', to shudder.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1570 – inspiring horror.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * about 1700 – first date given by Merriam-Webster.^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1869 – full of fear, rare.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Causing horror and disgust; [[grisly]] or [[ghastly]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Very unpleasant or distressing.^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[gruesomely]]

+ * [[gruesomeness]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}