worse

worse
1 adjective
1 (the comparative of bad) not as good as someone or something else, or more unpleasant or of a lower standard: The meal couldn't have been much worse. | worse than: The weather was worse than last year. | there's nothing worse than spoken: There's nothing worse than being angry about something and knowing it's your own fault. | a lot/much worse: The traffic is much worse after five. | get worse: I didn't like the noise when I first came and it's got worse since then. | worse and worse: Paul's manners seem to get worse and worse. | make matters/things/it worse (=make a bad or difficult situation even worse): I tried to help but I think I made things worse.
2 (comparative of ill) more ill than before: If she's worse in the morning, I'll call the doctor. | get worse: After the operation he got worse instead of better.
3 be none the worse for to not have been harmed, or not be worse because of something: The children were out in the rain all afternoon, but seem none the worse for it.
4 worse luck spoken used to say that you are disappointed or annoyed by something: When we got there the car had already been sold, worse luck!
5 sb can/could do worse than do sth spoken used to say that you think it is a good idea if someone does a particular thing: You could do worse than buy a few bottles of the local wine.
6 it could have been worse spoken used to say that a bad situation has something good about it
7 take a change/turn for the worse to change and become worse
8 the worse for wear informal in poor condition, or very tired: The living room carpet is looking the worse for wear.
—compare better 1, —see also: go from bad to worse bad 1 (13) USAGE NOTE: WORSE GRAMMAR More and most are not used together with worse or worst: Math is my worst subject (NOT my most worse/most worst subject). | The situation is much worse than it was last week (NOT much more worse). Some people think that worse should not be used as an adverb meaning `in a worse way'. But in spoken English you will often hear: Because we're so short of time we're doing it worse than we should. You can avoid this problem by saying for example: ...we're not doing it as well as we should. Things go/get bad, but they get worse. SPELLING Remember the spellings: even worse is spelt with an `e'; the worst with a `t'. 2 noun (U) something worse: We thought the situation was bad, but worse was to follow. | a change for the worse (=a bad change) —compare better 3 3 adverb (comparative of badly)
1 in a more severe or serious way than before: My head aches much worse than before.
2 to a lower standard or quality or less successfully: Dick scored worse than you in the test.

Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Worse — Worse, a., compar. of {Bad}. [OE. werse, worse, wurse, AS. wiersa, wyrsa, a comparative with no corresponding positive; akin to OS. wirsa, OFries. wirra, OHG. wirsiro, Icel. verri, Sw. v[ a]rre, Dan. v[ a]rre, Goth. wa[ i]rsiza, and probably to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • worse — ► ADJECTIVE 1) less good, satisfactory, or pleasing. 2) more serious or severe. 3) more ill or unhappy. ► ADVERB 1) less well. 2) more seriously or severely. ► NOUN ▪ …   English terms dictionary

  • worse — [wʉrs] adj. [ME < OE wiersa (used as compar. of yfel, bad, EVIL), akin to OHG wirsiro, prob. < base of OHG & OS werran, to confuse] 1. compar. of BAD1 & ILL1 2. a) bad, evil, harmful, unpleasant, etc. in a greater degree; …   English World dictionary

  • Worse — Worse, n. 1. Loss; disadvantage; defeat. Judah was put to the worse before Israel. Kings xiv. 12. [1913 Webster] 2. That which is worse; something less good; as, think not the worse of him for his enterprise. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Worse — Worse, adv. [AS. wiers, wyrs; akin to OS. & OHG. wirs, Icel. verr, Goth, wa[ i]rs; a comparative adverb with no corresponding positive. See {Worse}, a.] In a worse degree; in a manner more evil or bad. [1913 Webster] Now will we deal worse with… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Worse — Worse, v. t. [OE. wursien, AS. wyrsian to become worse.] To make worse; to put disadvantage; to discomfit; to worst. See {Worst}, v. [1913 Webster] Weapons more violent, when next we meet, May serve to better us and worse our foes. Milton. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • worse — O.E. wiersa, wyrsa, from P.Gmc. *wers izon (Cf. O.S. wirs, O.N. verri, Swed. värre, O.Fris. wirra, O.H.G. wirsiro, Goth. wairsiza worse ), comparative of PIE *wers to confuse, mix up (Cf. O.H.G. werra strife, O.S …   Etymology dictionary

  • worse — worse·ment; worse·ness; worse; …   English syllables

  • worse — comparative of ILL …   Medical dictionary

  • worse — worse1 [wə:s US wə:rs] adj [: Old English; Origin: wiersa, wyrsa] 1.) [the comparative of bad] more unpleasant, bad, or severe →↑better worse than ▪ The violence was worse than we expected. ▪ The traffic is much worse after five o clock. ▪ The… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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