Changes in Words

Word	Original Meaning
awful	deserving of awe
brave	cowardice (as in bravado)
counterfeit	legitimate copy
girl	young person of either sex
guess	take aim
knight	boy
luxury	sinful self indulgence
neck	parcel of land (as in neck of the woods)
notorious	famous
nuisance	injury, harm
quick	alive (as in quicksilver)
sophisticated	corrupted
tell	to count (as in bank teller)
truant	beggar

The word silly meant blessed or happy in the 11th century going through pious, innocent, harmless, pitiable, feeble, feeble minded before finally ending up as foolish or stupid.

Pretty began as crafty then changed via clever, skilfully made, fine to beautiful.

Buxom began with the meaning obedient and changed via compliant, lively, plump to large breasted.

The word nice meant stupid and foolish in the late 13th Century. It went through a number of changes including wanton, extravagant, elegant, strange, modest, thin, and shy. By the middle of the 18th Century it had gained its current meaning of pleasant and agreeable.

Words are changing meaning now: consider how the words bad and gay have changed in recent years.

Source: http://www.krysstal.com/wordname.html