Adjective
1. causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm;
"a dangerous operation""a grave situation""a grave illness""grievous bodily harm""a serious wound""a serious turn of events""a severe case of pneumonia""a life-threatening disease"2. causing or marked by grief or anguish;
"a grievous loss""a grievous cry""her sigh was heartbreaking""the heartrending words of Rabin's granddaughter"3. of great gravity or crucial import; requiring serious thought;
"grave responsibilities""faced a grave decision in a time of crisis""a grievous fault""heavy matters of state""the weighty matters to be discussed at the peace conference"4. shockingly brutal or cruel;
"murder is an atrocious crime""a grievous offense against morality""a grievous crime""no excess was too monstrous for them to commit"