Word Meaning
ख़ौफ़-नाक
khauf-naak
hiadjective
Meaning
Terrifying, dreadful, frightening, or perilous.
Detailed Meaning
An adjective describing something that inspires intense fear, horror, or dread. In this couplet, it describes the desolate wilderness ('dasht') of the speaker's homeland, emphasizing its extreme peril and terror. The danger is so immense that even Hazrat Khizr, the eternal guide of travelers, avoids journeying through it.
Etymology
Compound of Arabic 'khawf' (fear) and Persian suffix '-nāk' (possessing, full of).
Usage
Commonly employed in classical ghazal to amplify the perilous, despair-filled atmosphere of solitude or ruin.
Examples
A terrifying silence fell over the wilderness.
The travelers beheld a dreadful storm ahead.
Synonyms
भयानकडरावनावहशत-अंगेज़इबरत-नाक
Related Words
ख़ौफ़ख़ौफ़-ज़दादहशतहौल-नाक