dreadfully
gb/dɹˈɛdfəli/ us/dɹˈɛdfəli/
B2
Inglés
~ 7300
Acepciones
0 acepciones
adverb
B2
property
1
very, extremely (usually negative)
Very; extremely, used mostly before bad or unpleasant words.
Patrón de uso:
dreadfully [adjective/past participle]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes use "dreadfully" with clearly positive adjectives (e.g., *dreadfully good*) in a neutral way. In normal use, "dreadfully" is strongly negative and is used with unpleasant ideas, unless the speaker is being clearly ironic. Learners also sometimes confuse the adjective "dreadful" with the adverb "dreadfully" and say *a dreadfully mistake* instead of "a dreadful mistake".
Sinónimos
terribly (Very similar meaning; more common in everyday speech and can be used with both negative and, sometimes, positive adjectives.)
Antónimos
delightfully (Shows a very pleasant or enjoyable quality, the opposite of the negative feeling usually expressed by "dreadfully".)
Colocaciones
dreadfully sorry
|dreadfully boring
|dreadfully slow
|dreadfully cold
|dreadfully ill
|dreadfully lonely
Temas
emotions
|evaluation
|daily_life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- The weather was dreadfully cold all weekend.
- I'm dreadfully sorry I forgot your birthday.
- The movie was dreadfully boring, and several people left early.
- She felt dreadfully lonely after her friends moved away.
- He did dreadfully in the exam and has to retake it.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- It was dreadfully hot in the small room.
- I am dreadfully tired after the long trip.
- The lesson was dreadfully long and hard to follow.
- She looked dreadfully sad when she got the news.
- He sang dreadfully, so we asked him to stop.
adverb
C1
property
2
in a horrible or shocking way
In a very bad and cruel way that hurts people or makes them suffer.
Patrón de uso:
[someone/something] is treated dreadfully
Sinónimos
horribly (Very close in meaning; also emphasizes something shocking, cruel, or causing great suffering.)
Antónimos
kindly (Describes acting in a gentle, caring way, which contrasts with the cruel or harsh manner suggested by "dreadfully" in this sense.)
Colocaciones
treated dreadfully
|behaved dreadfully
|dreadfully injured
|dreadfully wounded
|suffered dreadfully
Temas
violence
|suffering
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- The prisoners were dreadfully treated during the conflict.
- Many families suffered dreadfully in the wake of the disaster.
- The animals in that shelter were dreadfully neglected before it was closed.
- He was dreadfully injured in the accident and needed several operations.
- The children behaved dreadfully and upset everyone at the restaurant.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- The workers were dreadfully paid and lived in poor houses.
- The dog was dreadfully hurt in the crash.
- People in the village suffered dreadfully after the storm.
- She was dreadfully treated by her boss.
- The students behaved dreadfully during the trip.
Gramática
Forma de diccionario
dreadfully
AFI
GB/dɹˈɛdfəli/
US/dɹˈɛdfəli/
Sílabas y acento
dread - fully (2 sílabas)
Stress on 1st syllable (dread)
Formas de la palabra
Noun
- Base: dreadfully
- Plural: dreadfullies
Familia de palabras
Expresiones
dreadfully sorry
1/dɹˈɛdfəli sˈɑɹi/
fixed phrase
feeling very, very sorry
Feeling and showing a very strong sense of regret or apology.
Ejemplos
- I'm dreadfully sorry about the confusion with your booking.
- She was dreadfully sorry for arriving so late to the meeting.
- He said he was dreadfully sorry and promised it would not happen again.