atrium

(Lat. In Ital. atrio means a portico or vestibule.] ATRIUM OF A ROMAN HOUSE. 1. Architecture : (1) The hall or principal room in an ancient Roman house. It communicated with the IMG:content-0866.png:[blocks in formation] "An advocate is nece ary, and therefore audience ought not to be denied him in defending causes, unle it be an atrocious offence."- Ayliffe : Parergon. 2. Stern, expre ive of cruelty. "The fierce atrocious frown of sinewed Mars." Thomson: Liberty, pt. ii. 3. Colloquially (in a hyperbolical and humorous sense): Very bad, as when it is said, without any real imputation of moral guilt, that one's handwriting is "atrocious." II. Of persons: Savage, cruel, fierce, harsh, severe. B. Technically : * Old Medicine. Of diseases: Very violent; angry. a-tro-çious-lý (cio us as shus), adv . [Eng. atrocious ; suff. -ly .] In an atrocious manner; with much cruelty or other flagrant wickedne . "As to my publishing your letters, I hold myself fully justified by the injury you have done ine by abusing me infamously and atrociously ."- Lowth to War burton , Lett. 2.