terror
n.-
1 extreme fear (n.) B2 Upper Intermediatea feeling of very strong fear or dread.
a state of intense, overwhelming fear or dread. Uncountable in its abstract sense.
ExampleThe passengers watched in terror as the engine began to smoke.
ExampleA look of pure terror crossed his face when he realised the safety harness had not been properly secured before the climb.
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2 terrorism (n.) B2 Upper Intermediate Politicsthe use of violence and threats to scare people for political reasons.
the systematic use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, to achieve political or ideological goals.
ExampleThe government promised to fight against international terror.
ExampleThe global campaign against terror has led to significant changes in international security protocols and border control measures.
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3 a troublesome person (n.) C1 Advanced Informala person, especially a child, who is very difficult to manage or causes a lot of trouble.
a person or thing that causes extreme annoyance or difficulty; frequently applied to unruly children.
ExampleTheir youngest son is a little terror when he doesn't get his way.
ExampleThe new puppy proved to be a complete terror, chewing through several expensive cables within his first week in the house.
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4 The Reign of Terror (n.) C1 Advanced Formal Historya famous period of extreme violence during the French Revolution.
a period of the French Revolution characterised by mass executions and state-sanctioned violence. Usually capitalised as 'the Terror'.
ExampleWe studied the Terror and the fall of Robespierre in our history class.
ExampleHistorians often debate the specific socio-political factors that allowed the Terror to escalate so rapidly in eighteenth-century France.
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *tres- Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Proto-Indo-European *troséyeti Proto-Italic *trozeō Latin terreō Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *-ōs Proto-Italic *-ōs Latin -or Latin terrorbor. Old French terreur Middle French terreurbor. Middle English terrour English terror From late Middle English terrour, from Old French terreur f (“terror, fear, dread”), from Latin terror m (“fright, fear, terror”), from terrēre (“to frighten, terrify”), from Old Latin tr̥reō, from Proto-Italic trozeō, from Proto-Indo-European tre- (“to shake”), *tres- (“to tremble”).