worst

1 adjective (the superlative of bad)

1 (only before noun) worse than anything else of the same kind or worse than at any time before: Ken is easily the worst player in the team. | What's the worst thing that could happen? | by far the worst: This is by far the worst book she's written.

2 be your own worst enemy to continue to behave in a stupid or thoughtless way that harms you or stops you from becoming successful

3 come off worst to lose a fight or argument

2 noun

1 the worst the person, thing, situation, state, part etc that is worse than all others of the same kind or worse than at any time before: None of them can play well, but Jane is the worst. | the worst of it (=the worst part of something): I think we've done the worst of it. | The worst of it is, I can't let her know what's happening. | get/have the worst of it spoken (=lose a fight or argument) | expect/fear the worst (=expect the situation to have the worst possible result): England play Brazil next week and I fear the worst. | at his/its etc worst (=as bad as he or it can be): You saw the garden at its worst, I'm afraid.

2 at (the) worst if things are as bad as they can be: Choosing the right software can be time-consuming at best and confusing or frustrating at worst.

3 sb/sth can do their worst used to say that you are not worried by the power of someone or something to harm you: All the wheat has been harvested, so the storm can do its worst.

4 if the worst comes to the worst if the situation develops in the worst possible way: If the worst comes to the worst, we'll have to sell the car.

3 adverb (the superlative of badly) most badly: Aid is being sent to the worst affected areas. | the worst-dressed man in the office 4 verb (transitive usually passive) old-fashioned to defeat someone in a fight, competition, or argument