awful (adj.)youdaoicibaDictYouDict[awful 词源字典]
c. 1300, agheful "worthy of respect or fear," from aghe, an earlier form of awe (n.), + -ful. The Old English word was egefull. Weakened sense "very bad" is from 1809; weakened sense of "exceedingly" is by 1818.[awful etymology, awful origin, 英语词源]