Hei"nous*ness

Heinous \Hei"nous\ (h[=a]"n[u^]s), a. [OF. ha["i]nos hateful, F.
   haineux, fr. OF. ha["i]ne hate, F. haine, fr. ha["i]r to
   hate; of German origin. See {Hate}.]
   Hateful; hatefully bad; flagrant; odious; atrocious; giving
   great offense; -- applied to deeds or to character.
   [1913 Webster]

         It were most heinous and accursed sacrilege. --Hooker.
   [1913 Webster]

         How heinous had the fact been, how deserving
         Contempt!                                --Milton.

   Syn: Monstrous; flagrant; flagitious; atrocious. --
        {Hei"nous*ly}, adv. -- {Hei"nous*ness}, n.
        [1913 Webster]
    

heinousness \heinousness\ n.
   the quality of being shockingly cruel and inhumane.

   Syn: atrocity, atrociousness, barbarity, barbarousness.
        [WordNet 1.5]