egregious
adjectiveGraduateELO 1,400GRECAT
DEFINITION
conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible
WEBSTER'S 1913
Surpassing; extraordinary; distinguished (in a bad sense); -- formerly used with words importing a good quality, but now joined with words having a bad sense; as, an egregious rascal; an egregious ass; an egregious mistake.
ETYMOLOGY
Latin 'ex-' (out) + 'grues' (shocking)
IN LITERATURE
“Beauty had been struck down by his egregious folly, and there he stood--a wretch!”
— George Meredith, Complete Project Gutenberg Works of George Meredith
IN USE
“William Blackstone used the term for significant and egregious violations of public trust of a nature and extent that the transgression would justify a revolutionary response.”
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