Literary notes about Terrific (AI summary)
The word "terrific" in literature is remarkably versatile, often employed to heighten the intensity of a situation or the scale of an experience. It can describe something awe-inspiring or overwhelmingly destructive, as seen when an explosion or a force of nature is rendered in vivid detail [1, 2]. At times, it underscores emotional or personal crises, imbuing distress or conflict with a palpable weight [3, 4]. In epic narratives and poems, "terrific" magnifies heroic endeavors or cataclysmic battles, enhancing the grandeur of the moment [5, 6, 7]. Thus, across a range of genres, the term oscillates between evoking wonder and conveying terror, demonstrating its capacity to intensify both the physical and the emotional landscapes of a work [8, 9].
- A gale roared past Barlow's head, though the windows seemed to be closed; the impression of speed was terrific.
— from The Marching Morons by C. M. Kornbluth - I quitted my seat, and walked on, although the darkness and storm increased every minute, and the thunder burst with a terrific crash over my head.
— from Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley - No one seemed to be wrestling with such a terrific personal problem.
— from The Red Badge of Courage: An Episode of the American Civil War by Stephen Crane - Never, O King—of this be sure— Will Raghu's fiery sons endure, Terrific in their vengeful rage, This insult to their hermitage.
— from The Rámáyan of Válmíki, translated into English verse by Valmiki - each other in the terrific war that ensued.’
— from The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1 - He recounted how Raévski had led his two sons onto the dam under terrific fire and had charged with them beside him.
— from War and Peace by graf Leo Tolstoy - THE TERRIFIC BATTLE BETWEEN THE GALLANT BISCAYAN AND THE VALIANT MANCHEGAN
— from Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra - For every molehill, to his wondering eyes, [Pg 482] Became a mountain of terrific size.
— from The Fables of La Fontaine by Jean de La Fontaine - The only method we could devise for the terrific lottery, in which we were to take each a chance, was that of drawing straws.
— from The Works of Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven Edition by Edgar Allan Poe
