awe
/ɔ:/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
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.
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
- 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
- an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration
- he stared over the edge with a feeling of awe
Verb
- inspire awe in
- The famous professor awed the undergraduates