awed

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awe

(ô)

1. A feeling of respect or reverence mixed with dread and wonder, often inspired by something majestic or powerful: "There was a fierce purpose in the gale ... that seemed directed at him, and made him hold his breath in awe" (Joseph Conrad).

2. Archaic

a. The power to inspire dread.

b. Dread.

tr.v. awed, aw·ing, awes

To fill with awe: tourists who are awed by the ancient monument.

[Middle English aue, from Old Norse agi.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

awed

(ɔːd)

adj

wondering and respectful

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

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Adj.	1.	awed - inspired by a feeling of fearful wonderment or reverence; "awed by the silence"; "awful worshippers with bowed heads" awful reverent - feeling or showing profound respect or veneration; "maintained a reverent silence"
	2.	awed - having or showing a feeling of mixed reverence and respect and wonder and dread; "stood in awed silence before the shrine"; "in grim despair and awestruck wonder" awestricken, awestruck unawed - not awed

awed

adjective impressed, shocked, amazed, afraid, stunned, frightened, terrified, cowed, astonished, horrified, intimidated, fearful, daunted, dumbfounded, wonder-struck The crowd listened in awed silence.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

heilig

References in classic literature ?

But did you deeply scan him in his more secret confidential hours; when he thought no glance but one was on him; then you would have seen that even as Ahab's eyes so awed the crew's, the inscrutable Parsee's glance awed his; or somehow, at least, in some wild way, at times affected it.

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The Tahitians were plainly awed by the silence and gloom and mystery of the place and happening, but they showed themselves doggedly unafraid, and were for pushing on.

View in context

It was so because it could not help itself, but the awed respect of the early days was gone.