| 释义 |
▪ I. worser, a. and adv.|ˈwɜːsə(r)|
Also 6 wurser, woorser, 9 vulgar wusser.
[A double comparative, f. worse a. and adv. + -er3. Cf. lesser.
The word was common in the 16th–17th c. as a variant of ‘worse’, in all its applications. In modern use, it is partly a literary survival (esp. in phrases like the worser part, sort, half), partly dial. and vulgar.]
A. adj. = worse a.
1495Trevisa's Barth. De P.R. xix. cvi. ll viij/1 More⁓thrumbles egges ben lyke to Geys egges but they ben lesser..and worser of smellynge. 1553Brende tr. Curtius vii. 122 b, Fearing the sequel of worser inconueniences. 1553T. Wilson Rhet. (1580) 127 If one should sett Lukes Veluet against Geane Veluette, the Lukes will appeare better, and the Geane will seeme worser. 1559Mirr. Mag., Duke of Suffolk xxiii, To preserve me from a wurser yll. c1566Merie Tales of Skelton in Wks. (1843) I. lix, The one woulde call thother Swanborn, the whyche they dyd take for a worser woorde then knaue. 1572R. T. Discourse 40 Vniuster then Pilate, worser then Lucifer. 1573–80Tusser Husb. (1878) 99 What worser for barlie than wetnes and cold? 1582T. Watson Centurie of Love xxx. (Arb.) 66 In harder case and worser plight am I. 1583Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. (1882) 33 They are not onely not inferior to any nation in the world in the excesse of apparell, but are farre woorser, if woorser can be. 1591Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, v. iii. 36 Chang'd to a worser shape thou canst not be. 1595Markham Trag. Sir R. Grinuile clxxi, His pure part, from worser parts refind. 1605London Prodigal v. i. 68 (Brooke) Such bad beginnings oft haue worser ends. 1605Rowlands Hell's broke loose To Rdr. (Hunterian Club) 7 All composed of the scumbe and waste worser-sort. 1633Ford Love's Sacrif. v. i. K 2, I find she is A diuell, worser then the worst in hell. 1638Chillingw. Relig. Prot. i. i. §8. 36 The conclusion alwaies followes the worser part, if there be any worse. a1639W. Whately Prototypes i. iv. (1640) 15 We must speake of Caine, who being the elder brother was yet the worser man. 1643Trapp Comm. Gen. xxxviii. 26 The worser sort of Papists. 1667Termes de la Ley 352 It is there taken in the worser sense. 1682Norris Hierocles 88 Hence 'tis that the worser actions are accompany'd with the worser pleasures. 1713Derham Phys.-Theol. iii. iv. 83 Our own great infirmities and failings..deserve a worser place, a more incommodious Habitation. 1742Lond. & Country Brewer i. (ed. 4) 38 The worser earthy Part of the Hop is greatly the Cause of that rough, harsh, unpleasant Taste. 1783Burns Remorse 9 Or worser far, the pangs of keen Remorse. 1811Southey in Edinb. Ann. Reg. II. i. 417 Upon the convention of Cintra ministers had chosen the worser part. 1827[see half n. 4 b]. 1829Southey Sir T. More II. 208 Lawcraft, if not a twin-fiend with Priestcraft, is..perhaps the worser devil of the two. 1854S. Austin Germany 312 The worser part of the press was timid, venal and obsequious. 1871M. Collins Inn Str. Meetings 33 One might imagine it a worser Troy. 1876Farrar Marlb. Serm. xxvii. 272 He must break, if need be, his old life in two, and fling away the worser half. 1887Morris Odyss. xi. 621 For I, e'en I, the bondsman of a worser man was made.
vulgar.1837Dickens Pickw. xxii, You might ha' made a worser guess than that, old feller. 1845Disraeli Sybil iii. i, ‘It's the butties’, said Nixon; ‘they're wusser nor tommy.’
b. absol. and ellipt.
1586Warner Alb. Eng. i. iv. (1592) 13 He..setteth Tenedos on fire, whose fearefull flames espide, Gaue Sommons vnto carelesse Troy for worser to prouide. 1587Golding De Mornay ii. (1617) 22 [He] shall not bee able to discerne which is the worser. 1622Mabbe tr. Aleman's Guzman d'Alf. ii. 269 If thou shalt reserue the better for thy selfe, and giue the worser vnto God. 1632Lithgow Trav. ix. 394 A worser neuer liued. 1635Hayward tr. Biondi's Banish'd Virg. 58 If the change chance to be from a bad Prince to a worser. 1660Gauden God's Gt. Demonstr. 50 There is no necessity..to make evil deeds good by doing worser. 1680W. Allen Peace & Unity 75 This was no call to the better sort of Christians to separate from the worser. 1840G. Godwin Last Day i. 5 Fanny, you are a hignorant creature, and Mr. Brisk's a worser. 1887Field 19 Feb. 233/1, I hear it was a toss up which day was the better or ‘wusser’ of the two.
†c. n. pl. (One's) inferiors. Obs.
1581G. Pettie tr. Guazzo's Civ. Conv. ii. (1586) 91 b, They ought to beholde their inferiours with a more gratious eie,..by meanes whereof they get the good will of their worsers.
B. adv. = worse adv.
1560Pilkington Expos. Aggeus C iiii b, And the worser learned be preferred afore the better, to the ministery,..let not the better disdayn him. 1573–80Tusser Husb. (1878) 90 There pasture and cattel..worser do fare. 1584Lyly Campaspe v. i, How like you this? doth he well? Diog. The better, the worser. Ibid. v. iv. I pray thee, what doost thou think of loue? Diog. A little worser then I can of hate. 1602Warner Alb. Eng. ix. li. 232 But thus do ye, nay worser. 1604Shakes. Oth. iv. i. 105 How do you Lieutenant? Cas. The worser, that you giue me the addition. 1606― Ant. & Cl. ii. v. 90, I cannot hate thee worser then I do, If thou againe say yes. a1625Fletcher Woman's Prize iii. i, 'Twould make his head ake worser than his horns do. 1628Mad Pranks Robin Goodfellow (Percy Soc.) 45 My hostesse asked me how I liked this tale? I said, it was..good enough to passe time that might be worser spent. 1642D. Rogers Naaman 435 Where he does well, none does better, but where ill, none worser. 1664J. Webb Stone-Heng (1725) 21 His Draught..I am confident you will like the worser, because he likes it so well. 1671tr. Palafox's Conq. China xxiv. 429 The other Chinese Merchants..were much worser used. 1700T. Brown Amusem. Ser. Com. 48 Persons..that have a great deal of Idle Time lying upon their Hands, and can't tell how to employ it worser. 1835Dickens Sk. Boz, Pawnbroker's Shop, Your poor dear wife as you uses worser nor a dog.
▪ II. worser, v. rare.|ˈwɜːsə(r)|
[f. worser a., after better v.]
trans. To make worse; refl. to impair one's worldly position. Hence ˈworsering vbl. n.
1842Collectanea Glocestr. 283 Worsered, made worse. 1883Century Mag. Oct. 827/2 This, be it for the bettering or the worsering of the type, is to our democratic..civilization forbidden forever. 1906Macm. Mag. Oct. 914 She says, ‘Be going to better myself, Guv'nor.’ I says, ‘Take care you don't worser yourself.’ |