frightfully
恐ろしいほど
解説 Definition
恐ろしいほどの程度を表す副詞。非常に、ひどくという意味で使われる。
Frightfully can mean very or extremely, often in a somewhat old-fashioned or British style. It can also keep its more literal meaning of in a frightening or terrible way, depending on context. Learners should notice that it is often used as an intensifier in speech or writing.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
fright を知っていれば核は「怖い」。ただし frightfully は実際の会話では「恐ろしく」そのものより、程度を強める「ものすごく」「ひどく」で覚えると使いやすい。awfully と近い感覚で、悪い意味にも良い意味にも乗るのがポイント。frightfully expensive、frightfully sorry のようなまとまりで覚えると、副詞 -ly の形と一緒に定着しやすく、単なる very より少し感情のこもった強調だと区別できる。
The base is `fright`, so the word carries strong feeling, but `frightfully` often just means `very` or `extremely`. Think of it as a more emotional, old-fashioned intensifier, similar to `awfully`. Phrases like `frightfully sorry` or `frightfully expensive` are easy memory anchors.
例文
The weather has been frightfully cold this winter, even by northern standards.
今年の冬は北国の基準でも恐ろしいほど寒い。
I'm frightfully sorry for the inconvenience caused by the delay.
遅延によるご不便をお掛けして本当に申し訳ございません。
The restaurant was frightfully expensive, but the food was extraordinary.
そのレストランはとんでもなく高かったが、料理は素晴らしかった。
frightfully の類義語・関連語
frightfully の語源・成り立ち Etymology
frightfully は古英語 fyrhtu / fyrht（恐怖）に由来する fright に、-ful（〜に満ちた）と -ly（〜に）を重ねた語です。もとは「恐ろしく」という意味ですが、強意で「ものすごく」にも広がり、frighten や fearful と同じ語族です。
Frightfully comes from fright, with the suffixes -ful and -ly added. Fright goes back to Old English words such as fyrhtu, meaning fear or terror. The word first meant "in a frightening way," but later widened into an intensifier meaning simply "very"; related words include frighten and fearful.
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