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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Diabolic \Di'a*bol"ic\, Diabolical \Di'a*bol"ic*al\, adjective [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.
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}, adverb -- {Di'a*bol"ic*al*ness}, noun
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
diabolically
adverb: as a devil; in an evil manner; "his writing could be diabolically satiric" [syn: {devilishly}, {fiendishly}]
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Definitions retrieved from local copies of the freely distributed DICT client/server software and databases. Click here for database copyright information. - KM |