Grotesque GROTESQUE GROTESQUELY GROT'TO, n. 1. A large
cave or den; a subterraneous cavern, and primarily a natural cave or
rent in the earth, or such as is formed by a current of water, or an
earthquake. 2. A cave for coolness and refreshment.
grotesque
adj 1: distorted and unnatural in shape or size; abnormal and
hideous; "tales of grotesque serpents eight fathoms long
that churned the seas"; "twisted into monstrous shapes"
[syn: grotesque, monstrous]
2: ludicrously odd; "Hamlet's assumed antic disposition";
"fantastic Halloween costumes"; "a grotesque reflection in
the mirror" [syn: antic, fantastic, fantastical,
grotesque]
n 1: art characterized by an incongruous mixture of parts of
humans and animals interwoven with plants
grotesque I. nounEtymology: Middle French & Old Italian; Middle French, from Old
Italian (pittura) grottesca, literally, cave painting, feminine
of grottesco of a cave, from grottaDate: 1561 1.a. a style of decorative art characterized by fanciful or fantastic
human and animal forms often interwoven with foliage or similar figures that
may distort the natural into absurdity, ugliness, or caricature b.
a piece of work in this style
2. one that is grotesque 3.sans serifII. adjectiveDate: 1603
of, relating to, or having the characteristics of the grotesque: as a.fanciful, bizarreb. absurdly incongruous c. departing
markedly from the natural, the expected, or the typical
Synonyms:seefantastic • grotesquelyadverb
• grotesquenessnoun
grotesque adj. & n. --adj. 1 comically or repulsively distorted; monstrous, unnatural. 2 incongruous, ludicrous, absurd. --n. 1 a decorative form interweaving human and animal
features. 2 a comically distorted figure or design. 3 Printing a family of sanserif typefaces. Derivatives: grotesquely adv. grotesqueness n. grotesquerie n. Etymology:
earlier crotesque f. F crotesque f. It. grottesca grotto-like (painting etc.) fem. of grottesco (as GROTTO, -ESQUE)
grotesque
(grotesques)
1. You say that something is grotesque when it is so unnatural, unpleasant, and
exaggerated that it upsets or shocks you.
...the grotesque disparities between the wealthy few and nearly everyone else....a country where grotesque abuses are taking place.ADJ
• grotesquelyHe called it the most grotesquely tragic experience that he's ever had.ADV
2. If someone or something is grotesque, they are very ugly.
They tried to avoid looking at his grotesque face and his crippled body.= hideous
ADJ
• grotesquely...grotesquely deformed beggars.ADV: ADV adj/-ed
3. A grotesque is a person who is very ugly in a strange or unnatural way, especially
one in a novel or painting.
Grass's novels are peopled with outlandish characters: grotesques, clowns, scarecrows,
dwarfs.N-COUNT
grotesque
ɡrəuˈtesk adj. & n. --adj. 1 comically or repulsively distorted;
monstrous, unnatural. 2 incongruous, ludicrous, absurd. --n. 1 a decorative
form interweaving human and animal features. 2 a comically distorted figure
or design. 3 Printing a family of sanserif typefaces. øøgrotesquely
adv. grotesqueness n. grotesquerie n. [earlier crotesque f. F crotesque
f. It. grottesca grotto-like (painting etc.) fem. of grottesco (as GROTTO,
-ESQUE)]
grotesque
ɡrəuˈtesk adj.
1 distorted, bizarre, freakish, twisted, misshapen, malformed, deformed, gruesome,
gnarled: Victor Hugo created the character of Quasimodo, the grotesque bell-ringer of Notre Dame.
2 absurd, incongruous, weird, odd, fantastic, strange, queer, peculiar, curious,
outlandish, offbeat, abnormal, aberrant, anomalous, ludicrous, ridiculous, preposterous: The
idea of marrying Leonard is too grotesque for even Gladys to contemplate.
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