<adj.all> murder is an atrocious crime a grievous offense against morality a grievous crime no excess was too monstrous for them to commit
Flagitious \Fla*gi"tious\, a. [L. flagitiosus, fr. flagitium a shameful or disgraceful act, orig., a burning desire, heat of passion, from flagitare to demand hotly, fiercely; cf. flagrare to burn, E. flagrant.] 1. Disgracefully or shamefully criminal; grossly wicked; scandalous; shameful; -- said of acts, crimes, etc.
Debauched principles and flagitious practices. --I. Taylor.
2. Guilty of enormous crimes; corrupt; profligate; -- said of persons. --Pope.
3. Characterized by scandalous crimes or vices; as, flagitious times. --Pope.
Syn: Atrocious; villainous; flagrant; heinous; corrupt; profligate; abandoned. See {Atrocious}. -- {Fla*gi"tious*ly}, adv. -- {Fla*gi"tious*ness}, n.