awful

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Very bad or unpleasant.

   The weather was awful all weekend.

2. 2
   adj

   Very great in amount (informal, used for emphasis).

   I have learnt an awful lot today.

3. 3
   adj

   Causing fear or horror; shocking.

   The war brought awful suffering to the region.

From Middle English agheful, awfull, auful, aȝefull, equivalent to awe + -ful. Compare Old English eġeful, eġefull (“terrifying; awful”). The “very bad” sense is a pejorative semantic shift from the original sense of “awe-inspiring”.

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