awful

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   causing fear or dread or terror

   the awful war

2. 2
   adj

   offensive or even malicious

   This comic's new act is awful!

3. 3
   adj

   Very bad.

   The smell of my socks is awful.

4. 4
   adj

   Exceedingly great; usually applied intensively.

   I have learnt an awful amount today.

5. 5
   adj

   Causing fear or horror; appalling, terrible.

   There was an air of gravity and importance about the garb of the person, and something indescribably odd, I might say awful, in the perfect, stonelike stillness of the figure, that effectually checked the testy comment which had at once risen to the lips of the irritated artist.

6. 6
   adj

   Awe-inspiring; filling with profound reverence or respect; profoundly impressive.

   As I am seen could I but gaze on Thee / Awful in majesty and royal might

7. 7
   adj

   Struck or filled with awe or reverence.

   She spoke about Mr. Pendennis (a worthy little gentleman enough, but there are others as good as he) with an awful reverence, as if he had been the Pope of Rome on his throne, and she a cardinal kneeling at his feet, and giving him incense.

8. 8
   adj

   Prone to a particular temptation.

   "It's her imagination, that's what it is," Millie said. "She's awful for imagining things, Wilfred agreed with me."

Etymology

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”.