Definition

1. Noun:

   • A feeling of profound respect mixed with fear or wonder: Awe is an emotion combining reverence, admiration, and often a sense of fear or dread in the presence of something powerful, sacred, or sublime.
   • The capacity to inspire such a feeling: Awe can also refer to the quality in something that causes this profound emotional response.

2. Verb:

   • To inspire with awe: To fill someone with a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • She felt a sense of awe as she stood before the ancient temple.
  • The vastness of the universe fills me with awe.
  • He spoke of his mentor with genuine awe.

• Verb:

  • The majestic mountain scenery awed the hikers.
  • The sheer scale of the project awed everyone in the room.

Advanced Usage

• "To be/stand in awe of (someone/something)": To have great respect and admiration for someone or something, often mixed with a little fear.

  • She was in awe of her grandmother's wisdom and strength.

• "To hold someone in awe": To regard someone with a mixture of respect and fear.

  • The king held his subjects in awe through a combination of power and charisma.

• "Awe-inspiring" (compound adjective): Causing feelings of awe; extremely impressive or daunting.

  • The view from the summit was truly awe-inspiring.

Variants and Related Words

• Awesome (adj.): Extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring awe. (Colloquially, it can also mean extremely good.)
  • The awesome power of the storm was terrifying.
• Awestruck (adj.): Filled with or revealing awe.
  • The awestruck crowd watched the rocket launch in silence.

Synonyms

• Noun: Wonder, reverence, veneration, admiration, dread, amazement.
• Verb: Impress, overwhelm, dazzle, astonish, reverence.

Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions

• "To awe into (silence/submission)": To cause someone to become silent or submissive through awe.
  • The speaker's powerful words awed the audience into silence.

Related Idioms

• "To be struck with awe": To be suddenly and powerfully affected by a feeling of awe.
  • Visitors are often struck with awe when they first enter the cathedral.

Noun

1. a feeling of profound respect for someone or something
   • the fear of God
   • the Chinese reverence for the dead
   • the French treat food with gentle reverence
   • his respect for the law bordered on veneration
2. an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration
   • he stared over the edge with a feeling of awe

Verb

1. inspire awe in
   • The famous professor awed the undergraduates