Search Result for "formidable": 
Wordnet 3.0

ADJECTIVE (2)

1. extremely impressive in strength or excellence;
- Example: "a formidable opponent"
- Example: "the challenge was formidable"
- Example: "had a formidable array of compositions to his credit"
- Example: "the formidable army of brains at the Prime Minister's disposal"

2. inspiring fear;
- Example: "the formidable prospect of major surgery"
- Example: "a tougher and more redoubtable adversary than the heel-clicking, jackbooted fanatic"- G.H.Johnston
- Example: "something unnerving and prisonlike about high grey wall"
[syn: formidable, redoubtable, unnerving]



The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Formidable \For"mi*da*ble\, a. [L. formidabilis, fr. formidare
   to fear, dread: cf. F. formidable.]
   Exciting fear or apprehension; impressing dread; adapted to
   excite fear and deter from approach, encounter, or
   undertaking; alarming.
   [1913 Webster]

         They seemed to fear the formodable sight. --Dryden.
   [1913 Webster]

         I swell my preface into a volume, and make it
         formidable, when you see so many pages behind. --Drydn.

   Syn: Dreadful; fearful; terrible; frightful; shocking;
        horrible; terrific; tremendous.
        [1913 Webster]


WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

formidable
    adj 1: extremely impressive in strength or excellence; "a
           formidable opponent"; "the challenge was formidable";
           "had a formidable array of compositions to his credit";
           "the formidable army of brains at the Prime Minister's
           disposal"
    2: inspiring fear; "the formidable prospect of major surgery";
       "a tougher and more redoubtable adversary than the heel-
       clicking, jackbooted fanatic"- G.H.Johnston; "something
       unnerving and prisonlike about high grey wall" [syn:
       formidable, redoubtable, unnerving]