baleful

== English == === Alternative forms === balefull (obsolete) === Etymology === From Middle English baleful, balful, baluful, from Old English bealuful, which was equivalent to bealu +‎ -ful. By surface analysis, bale (“evil, woe”) +‎ -ful. See bale for further etymology. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈbeɪl.fəl/ === Adjective === baleful (comparative more baleful, superlative most baleful) Portending evil; ominous. Synonyms: foreboding, portentous; see also Thesaurus:ominous 1949, Naomi Replansky, “Complaint of the Ignorant Wizard” in Ring Song (published 1952): I learned the speech of birds; now every treeScreams out to me a baleful prophecy. (obsolete) Miserable, wretched, distressed, suffering. (obsolete) Deadly, mortal. Synonyms: fatal, lethal, terminal ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== == Middle English == === Alternative forms === balful, baluful, balefulle, balefule, balleful, balefull, balful, balfulle === Etymology === From Old English bealuful. By surface analysis, bale +‎ -ful. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈbaːlful/, /ˈbalful/ === Adjective === baleful evil, horrible, malicious (rare) dangerous, harmful, injurious (rare) worthless, petty, lowly ==== Derived terms ==== balfulli ==== Descendants ==== English: baleful ==== References ==== “bāleful, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 19 May 2018.