Portentousness

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Portentous \Por*tent"ous\, a. [L. portentosus.]
     1. Of the nature of a portent; containing portents;
        foreshadowing, esp. foreshadowing ill; ominous.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              For, I believe, they are portentous things. --Shak.


        [1913 Webster]
  
              Victories of strange and almost portentous splendor.
                                                    --Macaulay.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Hence: Monstrous; prodigious; wonderful; dreadful; as, a
        beast of portentous size. --Roscommon.
        [1913 Webster] -- {Por*tent"ous*ly}, adv. --
        {Por*tent"ous*ness}, n.
        [1913 Webster]