Flipped meanings

When 'nice' meant stupid and 11 other shocking word flips

Image: Randy Laybourne

Language doesn’t stand still—and some words have done a complete 180. Over the centuries, dozens of common English terms have evolved to mean the exact opposite of what they once did. From awful once meaning "awe-inspiring," to egregious flipping from praise to insult, these surprising reversals reveal how culture, usage, and context reshape our vocabulary over time. Here are 12 examples of English words that used to mean the opposite.

Image: Christopher Ruel

Then: Awe-inspiring

Now: Very bad

In the 13th century, awful described something that filled you with awe or reverence, often in a religious or majestic sense.

By the 1800s, however, its meaning had shifted toward fear and unpleasantness. Today, awful exclusively refers to something negative, such as bad smells, food, or experiences.

Image: Rupert Britton

Then: Remarkably good

Now: Shockingly bad

Derived from Latin egregius, meaning "distinguished" or "eminent," it originally described someone who stood out in a good way.

But by the 17th century, the meaning had completely flipped. Today, egregious highlights glaring faults and is often used in legal or journalistic contexts to describe major errors or scandals.

Image: Michael Dziedzic

Then: Ignorant or foolish

Now: Pleasant or kind

In Middle English, nice came from the Latin nescius, meaning "ignorant." It originally referred to someone silly, gullible, or lacking judgment in general. Not very nice, eh?

Image: Flora Orosz

Then: Blessed or holy

Now: Lacking seriousness

Silly began as seely in Old English, meaning "happy," "innocent," or "pious." Particularly, it had strong religious and moral overtones.

Curiously, as the centuries passed, the meaning shifted from a sense of innocence to naivety, and by the 1500s, it had taken on today’s connotation of being frivolous or childish.

Image: Nicolas Hoizey

Then: Skillfully made

Now: Fake or insincere

From Latin artificialis, meaning "crafted with skill," it once described things made by human art, often with admiration.

Today, artificial implies unnaturalness or deception, especially in food, emotions, or materials like artificial flavoring or artificial intelligence. Seems quite unfair, doesn’t it?

Image: Edilson Borges

Then: Causing terror or awe

Now: Very bad

Terrible once described something that instilled fear or awe, often with divine or royal connotations, like "a terrible majesty."

Its modern usage dropped the reverence but kept the negativity. Today, it denotes poor quality or extreme unpleasantness in everyday speech.

Image: Devon Metcalf

Then: Showy or flashy

Now: Courageous

In the 15th century, brave referred to a person dressed flamboyantly or behaving boldly in appearance, not action.

In an ironic turn, the meaning evolved during the Renaissance to describe boldness of character, especially in battle or adversity—its current heroic sense.

Image: Elena Leya

Then: Sated or full

Now: Unhappy

In Old English, sad meant "sated," from the same root as satisfy. It indicated fullness, firmness, and even seriousness.

The shift toward emotional gloom began in the 1300s, gradually dominating the word’s use by the 16th century.

Image: Nicolas Houdayer

Then: To examine carefully

Now: To skim or browse

Peruse comes from Latin per- ("thoroughly") + use, meaning to examine in detail. Legal and scholarly texts once used it that way.

In modern casual use, people often say peruse when they mean "glance over," a meaning that’s become accepted through frequent misuse.

Image: Artem Balashevsky

Then: Any type of food

Now: Animal flesh

In Old English, meat referred broadly to food of all kinds. Even fruits and vegetables were considered "meats" too.

Its meaning narrowed by the 14th century, eventually referring only to animal flesh, particularly red meat, by modern standards.

Image: Ben Wicks

Then: A child of either sex

Now: A female child

In Middle English, girl (or gyrl) referred to any young person, regardless of gender. The term boy was less commonly used.

By the 16th century, girl became gender-specific, aligning with societal norms and shaping the word we use today.

Image: Rodrigo Curi

Then: To prevent

Now: To allow

Let once meant to hinder or obstruct, and was often found in old legal or religious texts.

Interestingly, its meaning flipped over time—from restriction to permission. Quite the reversal! While modern usage dominates, its older meaning still survives in some dialects and contexts.

10 real-life hidden treasures that haven't been discovered yet

Image: Bjorn Pierre

Everyone has, at some point, imagined stumbling across a hidden chest of gold or a mysterious jewel lost for centuries. Most of us only strike gold in our dreams, but history is filled with treasures that have yet to be discovered. While some are probably tall tales, others may be buried just beneath our feet. Here are 10 of the most curious (and glittering) mysteries still unsolved.

Image: Daniel J. Schwarz

Centuries ago, there was an entire city gleaming with gold, hidden deep in the thick, uncharted jungles of South America. In the 1500s, Spanish conquistadors became obsessed with this dazzling vision, driven by tales of a great ruler who offered invaluable treasures to the gods and covered his body in gold dust.

The promise of limitless wealth lured expedition after expedition into dangerous territories, where many lives were lost along the way. Yet, despite many years of searching, El Dorado was never found. Was there truly a golden kingdom, or was it nothing more than the world’s most extravagant legend?

Image: János Venczák

In 1216, King John of England somehow managed to lose an entire royal treasure convoy while crossing a tricky inlet in the North Sea known as The Wash. According to lore, the heavy wagons were swamped by the incoming tide and never resurfaced. Crowns, jewels, and priceless relics disappeared into the muck. Historians estimate the haul would be worth millions today.

Image: Alex Boyd

The Wild West outlaw Jesse James became famous for robbing banks and trains with style, but the bigger mystery is what happened with the priceless loot. Did he tuck away the money for a rainy day? Campfire tales insist he buried it in caves, canyons, and lonely hillsides, supposedly leaving behind cryptic maps and clues.

Generations of treasure hunters have chased after the myth, shovels in hand, hoping for a jackpot that never turns up. If James is chuckling somewhere, it’s likely at the sight of modern folks still poking around the prairie, convinced his ghost left them a scavenger hunt to play.

Image: Peter Burdon

When conquistadors captured the Incan emperor Atahualpa in 1532, he made an offer that could outshine any ransom in history: a chamber packed floor-to-ceiling with gold and silver. While some of that treasure was taken, much of it mysteriously vanished after the Spaniards executed the king anyway. And we’re not talking mere trinkets; historians estimate hundreds of thousands of pounds of precious metal. To this day, no one knows where the rest of the bounty is.

Image: Andrej Sachov

Back when pirates ruled the world, British privateer Henry Morgan became famous for plundering Caribbean towns, carting off gold, silver, and whatever else he could find. Rumor has it, he didn’t spend it all but stashed mountains of riches on remote islands. San Andrés locals will even guide you to "Morgan’s Cave." Spoiler alert: it’s totally empty—unless you count bats and sea breeze. Treasure or not, the cave’s real prize is probably the tall tale itself.

Image: Marcus Woodbridge

In the 1500s, a Portuguese ship set sail carrying what can only be described as a floating fortune—around 120,000 pounds of gold, along with crates of jewels, spices, and other exotic goods from the East. But before it could reach Europe, a violent storm struck near Sumatra, sending the vessel and its priceless cargo to the bottom of the sea. Despite centuries of searching, the wreck has never been located. For modern treasure hunters, it remains the ultimate fantasy.

Image: Nicholas Nduati

Legend has it that during the 1940s, Japanese general Tomoyuki Yamashita secreted away thousands of tons of gold somewhere in the Philippines. Over the years, treasure hunters have dug, scanned, and explored, occasionally uncovering small trinkets but not the vast bulk of the WWII loot. True or not, the story continues to fuel the imaginations of swashbucklers who keep exploring jungles and tunnels, leaving local hardware stores empty of shovels, metal detectors, and digging gear.

Image: Abimelec Castillo

When Spanish forces conquered Mexico, the vast treasure said to belong to Emperor Montezuma seemed to vanish into thin air. Chronicles speak of mountains of gold, silver, and dazzling artifacts, yet none were ever officially recovered. Some legends claim the riches were hidden away in secret caves, while others insist the treasure was dumped into Lake Texcoco.

The truth remains a mystery, but the allure hasn’t faded. And who knows? If you happen to stumble across a golden mask or bright jewel while wandering the streets of Mexico City, you’ll have uncovered one of history’s most tantalizing legends.

Image: Nadjib BR

Pirate William Kidd’s name is forever tied to the rumor that, before his capture, he secretly buried a fortune somewhere along his sailing routes. Ever since, countless maps have surfaced, each claiming to point the way to his hidden gold, with locations ranging from the Caribbean islands to the rocky shores of New England. None of these supposed guides has ever led to the treasure, yet that hasn’t stopped adventurers from trying their luck.

Image: Francesco Ungaro

A fleet of twelve Spanish galleons once departed from Havana, Cuba, their holds packed to the brim with gold, silver, and sparkling gems destined for Europe. But fate had other plans. An unforgiving hurricane smashed the ships against reefs and dragged their cargo to the ocean floor off Florida’s coast.

Over the centuries, divers and fortune seekers have managed to recover scattered coins, jewelry, and fragments of the wreck; yet, the vast majority of the treasure remains hidden beneath the waves. So, if your next vacation to the Sunshine State involves a trip to the beach, it might be worth bringing along a snorkel!