20.7.13

24 Words that Used to Mean Something Negative which are now Nice.

Sometimes words move up in the world. Their meanings change with time, becoming more positive—a process linguists call amelioration. Here are some ameliorated words that were a pinch more negative back in the day.
1. Amaze: Make crazy; confuse with terror (1200s; 1770s)
2. Amuse: Cheat, delude, or deceive (1400s)
3. Awesome: Terrifying (1670s)
4. Boy: A servant, knave, or commoner (1250s)
5. Brave: Uncivilized or savage; showy (1400s)
6. Careful: Mournful, woeful; full of anxiousness (1100s)
7. Comical: Epileptic (~1100s)
8. Cool: Calmly Audacious (1825)
9. Courage: Temper (1300s)
10. Croon: To groan or lament (1400s)
11. Dizzy: Stupid (~1100s)
12. Eager: Fierce or angry; sour, harsh, or bitter (1200s)
13. Fond: Foolish, silly (1350s)
14. Fun: Cheat, trick, or hoax (1680s)
15. Glorious: Boastful (1400s)
16. Knight: A male servant; boy (~1000s)
17. Meticulous: Fearful, timid, and full of dread (1530s)
18. Mischievous: Disastrous (1300s)
19. Nice: Stupid or ignorant; careless or clumsy (1200s)
20. Pragmatic: Meddlesome; tastelessly busy (1600s)
21. Pretty: Deceitful, tricky, or sly (~1200s)
22. Sophisticated: Unnatural; contaminated (1600s)
23. Sustainable: Bearable (1610s)
24. Ravishing: Extremely hungry (1350s)