From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Diabolic \Di`a*bol"ic\, Diabolical \Di`a*bol"ic*al\, a. [L.
diabolicus, Gr. ? devilish, slanderous: cf. F. diabolique.
See {Devil}.]
1. Pertaining to the devil; resembling, or appropriate, or
appropriate to, the devil; befitting hell or satan;
devilish; infernal; impious; as, a diabolic or diabolical
temper or act; the diabolical expression on his face;
fires lit up a diabolic scene. "Diabolic power." --Milton.
"The diabolical institution." --Motley.
Syn: devilish, mephistophelian, mephistophelean.
[1913 Webster]
2. showing a wicked cunning or ingenuity; as, the cold
calculation and diabolic art of some statesmen.
Syn: devilish, mephistophelian, mephistophelean.
[WordNet 1.5]
3. extremely evil or cruel; atrocious; outrageously wicked;
as, diabolical sorcerers under the influence of devils;
diabolical torturers taking pleasure in their craft.
Syn: demonic, fiendish, hellish, infernal, nefarious,
satanic.
[1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5] -- {Di`a*bol"ic*al*ly},
adv. -- {Di`a*bol"ic*al*ness}, n.
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
diabolical
adj 1: showing the cunning or ingenuity or wickedness typical of
a devil; "devilish schemes"; "the cold calculation and
diabolic art of some statesmen"; "the diabolical
expression on his face"; "a mephistophelian glint in his
eye" [syn: {devilish}, {diabolic}, {diabolical},
{mephistophelian}, {mephistophelean}]
2: extremely evil or cruel; expressive of cruelty or befitting
hell; "something demonic in him--something that could be
cruel"; "fires lit up a diabolic scene"; "diabolical
sorcerers under the influence of devils"; "a fiendish
despot"; "hellish torture"; "infernal instruments of war";
"satanic cruelty"; "unholy grimaces" [syn: {demonic},
{diabolic}, {diabolical}, {fiendish}, {hellish}, {infernal},
{satanic}, {unholy}]
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