hideous

The assassin convinced them that any attempt to arrest him would lead to the publication of some hideous scandal.

Making our way among the trees, we reached the lawn, crossed it, and were about to enter through the window when out from a clump of laurel bushes there darted what seemed to be a hideous and distorted child, who threw itself upon the grass with writhing limbs and then ran swiftly across the lawn into the darkness.

It is unlikely that a youngster like Adair would at once make a hideous scandal by exposing a well-known man so much older than himself.

As we turned him over I saw a hideous, sallow face, with writhing, furious features, glaring up at us, and I knew that it was indeed the man of the photograph whom we had secured.