From the book
Centuries of Meditations
Thomas Traherne · Diotimos Editions · 2026
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At a Glance
- The wordDreadful can mean awe-inspiring, solemnly majestic, or fearfully great.
- In TraherneJacob’s recognition of the divine dwelling makes a place dreadful because its sacred significance overwhelms ordinary perception.
- In this editionThe 2026 note to I.31 gives “awe-inspiring.”
- A place to beginJacob’s awakening reveals a dreadful house of God.
Meaning
Dreadful can mean awe-inspiring, solemnly majestic, or fearfully great. It also retains the sense of terrifying; the positive older sense must not become a blanket substitute.
Use in the book
Jacob’s recognition of the divine dwelling makes a place dreadful because its sacred significance overwhelms ordinary perception. Traherne similarly places dreadful beside amiable and blessed when describing the person exalted by divine love. These positive neighbours show that terror is not the whole meaning. By contrast, sin is a dreadful obstruction of enjoyment, where the alarming force is fully active. The range permits reverent wonder and moral fear to coexist without confusing the goodness of the object with the violence of its impression.
Places to read
In this edition
The 2026 note to I.31 gives “awe-inspiring.” Check the object and neighbouring adjectives before choosing that gloss elsewhere.
Source note
Primary text: I.31, II.26, III.51; historical gloss: 2026 edition note to I.31.