direful

adj : causing fear or dread or terror; "the awful war"; "an awful

risk"; "dire news"; "a career or vengeance so direful

that London was shocked"; "the dread presence of the

headmaster"; "polio is no longer the dreaded disease it

once was"; "a dreadful storm"; "a fearful howling";

"horrendous explosions shook the city"; "a terrible

curse" [syn: {awful}, {dire}, {dread(a)}, {dreaded}, {dreadful},

{fearful}, {fearsome}, {frightening}, {horrendous}, {horrific},

{terrible}]