worst

English

Pronunciation

Adjective

worst

  1. superlative form of bad: most bad
    1. Most inferior; doing the least good.
      I think putting oil on a burn is the worst thing you can do.
    2. Most unfavorable.
      That's the worst news I've had all day.
    3. Most harmful or severe.
      The worst storm we had last winter knocked down our power lines.
    4. Most ill.
      I'm feeling really ill — the worst I've felt all week.
    5. Used with the definite article and an implied noun: something that is worst.
      None of these photographs of me are good, but this one is definitely the worst.

Synonyms

  • (most ill): ‎illest‎ (nonstandard)

Derived terms

  • fear the worst
  • turn for the worst

Related terms

Translations

Most inferior
Something that is worst

Adverb

worst

  1. In the worst way: most badly, most ill.
    My sore leg hurts worst when it's cold and rainy.
    This is the worst-written essay I've ever seen.
    She's the worst-informed of the lot.

Translations

In the worst way

Verb

worst (third-person singular simple present worsts, present participle worsting, simple past and past participle worsted)

  1. (archaic, transitive) To make worse.
  2. (dated, intransitive) To grow worse; to deteriorate.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Jane Austen:
      Anne haggard, Mary coarse, every face in the neighbourhood worsting.
  3. (rare) To outdo or defeat, especially in battle.

Quotations

Anagrams

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Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch worst, from Old Dutch *wurst, *worst, from Proto-Germanic *wurstiz.

Pronunciation

Noun

worst f (plural worsten, diminutive worstje)

  1. sausage

Derived terms

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Last modified on 14 April 2013, at 21:42