lousyadj.adv.
/ˈlaʊzi/, U.S. /ˈlaʊzi/ A. adj.
1. † b. Characterized by the presence of lice. lousy disease, lousy evil = phthiriasis n. Obsolete.
a. Full of lice, infested by lice.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > infestation by noxious creatures > [adjective] > with insects > with lice or nits
lousy1377
pediculara1538
pediculousc1540
nitty1570
nittical1608
crumby1859
cooty1915
the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > subclass Pterygota > [adjective] > hemimetabolous > of form of Anoplura > of order Siphunculata > full of or infested with lice
lousy1377
pediculara1538
pediculousc1540
crumby1859
1377 W. Langland Piers Plowman B. v. 195 With an hode on his hed a lousi hatte aboue.
1486 Bk. St. Albans B v A medecyne for an hawke that is lowse.
?1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Husbandry f. xxxvv There be horses that woll be lowesy: & it cometh of pouerte, colde, and yll kepyng.
a1572 J. Knox Hist. Reformation Scotl. in Wks. (1846) I. 74 Your cord and lowsie coit and sark.
1652 N. Culpeper Eng. Physitian Enlarged (1809) 134 Some authors say, the eating of them [figs] makes people lousy.
1653 I. Walton Compl. Angler 130 If I catch a Trout in one Meadow, he shall be white and faint, and very like to be lowsie . View more context for this quotation
1677 Mr. Johnson Let. 16 Apr. in J. Ray Corr. (1848) 127 The sight of one of these [salmon] makes a fisher leap for joy, especially if his gills be lousy.
1697 Philos. Trans. 1695–7 (Royal Soc.) 19 394 I call him the Lousie Beetle, because when taken, he is generally found to be infested with small Vermin, like Lice.
1707 J. Mortimer Whole Art Husbandry 253 The Sweet-bryar and Gooseberry that are only lousie in dry times or in very hot and dry places.
1710 J. Addison Tatler No. 229. ⁋1 A very ordinary Microscope shows us, that a Louse is itself a very lousy Creature.
1890 C. Patmore Let. 23 May in B. Champneys Mem. (1900) II. 136 These are both large fish, but they are habitually what the fishermen call ‘unclean’ and ‘lousy’; so they don't try to catch them.
1901 R. Kipling Kim i. 26 I do not give to a lousy Tibetan.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of visible parts > skin disorders > [noun] > phthiriasis
lousy evil1519
lousiness1530
phthiriasis1533
pediculation1726
lousy disease1774
pediculosis1876
louse-disease1879
the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > subclass Pterygota > [adjective] > hemimetabolous > of form of Anoplura > of order Siphunculata > characterized by presence of
lousy1519
1519 W. Horman Vulgaria iii. f. 34 Antiochus, Sylla, and Herodde dyed in the lowsy euyll.
1538 T. Elyot Dict. Pherecydes,..which dyed of the lousy sickenesse.
1579 T. North tr. Plutarch Liues 524 Acastus the sonne of Pelias, dyed of the lowsie euill.
1774 O. Goldsmith Hist. Earth VII. 274 The Pthiriasis [sic], or lousy disease, though very little known at present, was frequent enough among the ancients.
1830 J. Lindley Introd. Nat. Syst. Bot. 138 The lousy diseases to which people are very subject in those countries.
c. lousy grass n. †(a) Stinking Hellebore, Helleborus fœtidus; (b) Spergula arvensis (1875 in Britten & Holland).
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > according to family > Liliaceae family or plants > [noun] > hellebore > bear's foot
settergrassa1400
bear's foot1551
setterwort1551
lousewort1578
lousy grass1597
oxheal1597
helleboraster1656
1597 J. Gerard Herball ii. 827 The thirde and fourth [kinds of Black Hellebore] are named in the Germane toong Lowszkraut, that is Peduncularis, or Lowsie grasse.
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues at Ellebore
d. ‘Swarming’ with; abundantly supplied with (money, people, etc.); full of. Const. with. slang (originally U.S.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > sufficient quantity, amount, or degree > abundance > [adjective] > abounding in or having abundance
fulleOE
ranka1250
broada1300
rifec1325
copiousa1387
wealthful ofa1400
plaina1450
heavy-ladenc1450
fluenta1592
onust1604
heavy1622
onusted1657
opulent1685
aflooda1729
rowtha1774
acrawl1830
lousy1843
awash1912
1843 Spirit of Times 4 Mar. 7/3 He was lousy with money, and dared any man to face him.
1856 Democratic State Jrnl. (Sacramento, Calif.) 6 Oct. 2/3 The bed of the river is perfectly ‘lousy’ with gold.
1864 A. J. Munby Diary 15 July in D. Hudson Munby (1972) 199 Why Sir, these unfortunates are all over the place: the ground (he added with a gesture of disgust) is lousy with them.
1928 S. Vines Humours Unreconciled i. 13 The Totsuka Club was..in the words of Mr. Podler, ‘just lousy with liars’.
1934 V. M. Yeates Winged Victory xix. 150 And if the Dover Patrol was costly in life, were not shipping magnates lousy with shekels?
a1935 W. Holtby South Riding (1936) ii. i. 89 Leckton told me last month they threw in sixteen and a half couple of hounds and couldn't see a dog. Lost in thistles and willow herb—but lousy with foxes.
1956 R. Braddon Nancy Wake xiii. 153 The town was lousy with Germans, she noted.
2. figurative. Dirty, filthy, obscene. Also as a general term of abuse: Mean, scurvy, sorry, vile, contemptible. Also, inferior, poor, bad; ill; in low health or spirits.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > foulness or filth > [adjective]
blackOE
rotea1382
lousyc1386
unwashed?a1390
fulsomec1390
filthy?c1400
rankc1400
leprousa1425
sicka1425
miry1532
shitten?1545
murrain1575
obscene1597
vicious1597
ketty1607
putrid1628
putredinous1641
foede1657
fulsamic1694
carrion1826
foul1842
shitty1879
scabrous1880
scummy1932
pukey1933
shitting1950
gungy1962
grungy1965
shithouse1966
grot1967
bogging1973
society > morality > moral evil > [adjective] > morally foul
fennyc897
foulOE
sutya1225
lousyc1386
rustyc1390
filthy?c1400
feculent1471
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > [adjective] > dirty and loathsome
vilea1300
lousyc1386
vild1568
squalid1591
nasky1611
clatty1632
tetrous1637
foede1657
pah1689
feculent1703
cruddy1877
crutting1925
ranchy1959
ucky1963
grody1965
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > condition of being held in contempt > [adjective] > contemptible
unworthc893
unwrastc893
littleOE
narrow-hearteda1200
wretcha1200
unworthya1240
wretchedc1250
un-i-wrastc1275
bad1276
lechera1300
feeblea1325
despisablea1340
villain1340
contemptiblec1384
lousyc1386
caitiff1393
brothelyc1400
roinousa1425
poor1425
sevenpennyc1475
nasty1477
peakish1519
filthy1533
despectuous1541
beggary1542
scald1542
shitten?1545
disdainfula1547
contemptuous1549
despicable1553
skit-brained?1553
contemniblea1555
vile1560
sluttish1561
queer1567
scornful1570
scallardc1575
tinkerly?1576
worthless1576
beggarly?1577
paltry1578
halfpenny1579
dog bolt1580
pitiful1582
sneaking1582
triobolar1585
wormisha1586
baddy1586
dudgeon1592
measled1596
packstaff1598
roguey1598
roguish1601
contemptful1608
grovelling1608
lightly1608
disdainable1611
purulent1611
snotty-nose1622
vilipendious1630
cittern-headed1638
wormy1640
pissabed1643
triobolary1644
disparageable1648
blue-bellied1652
unestimable1656
scullion1658
piteous1667
dirty1670
shabbed1674
shabby1679
snotty1681
snotty-nosed1682
mucky1683
bollocky1694
scoundrel1700
scaldeda1704
sneaking1703
ficulnean1716
unsolid1731
pitiable1753
scrubby1754
inimitable1798
scrubbish1798
worm-likea1807
small1824
lowlife1827
ketty1828
skunkish1831
yellow-bellied1833
scaly1843
cockroachya1845
wutless1853
nigger1859
trashy1862
low-down1872
cruddy1877
shitty1879
tinhorn1886
blithering1889
motherfucking1890
snidey1890
pilgarlicky1894
shitass1895
shoddy1918
yah boo1921
bitching1929
shit-faced1932
turdish1936
fricking1937
jerk-off1937
chickenshit1940
sheg-up1941
snot-nosed1941
jerky1944
mother-loving1948
scroungy1948
fecking1952
pissant1952
shit-kicking1953
shit-eating1956
bumboclaat1957
rassclaat1957
shit-headed1959
farkakte1960
shithouse1966
daggy1967
dipshit1968
scuzzy1969
bloodclaat1971
bitch ass1972
wanky1972
streelish1974
twatty1975
twattish1976
dweeby1988
douchey1991
wank1991
cockish1996
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > inferior person > [adjective] > as abused
lousyc1386
greasya1529
mongrela1594
shake rotten1595
strummell-patch1600
thornbackly1605
toad-spotted1608
pissabed1643
shit-breeched1664
shit-breech1675
mole-catching1693
nine-eyed1694
poxya1758
cocksucking1872
bastard1877
motherfucking1890
son-of-a-bitching1902
so-and-so1929
mother-raping1932
zombie1937
chickenshit1940
pissy-arsed1940
bastarding1944
mother-loving1948
mothering1951
the mind > emotion > suffering > dejection > [adjective]
ungladc888
wearyc888
drearyc1000
dreary-moodOE
heavyc1000
unmerryOE
droopy?c1225
mournc1275
sada1300
languishinga1325
amayedc1330
matec1330
unlightc1330
unblissful1340
lowa1382
mishappyc1390
dullc1393
elengely1393
droopinga1400
heavy-hearteda1400
joylessa1400
sytefula1400
mornifc1400
tristy?c1400
lightless?1406
heartlessa1413
tristc1420
amatec1425
languoring?c1425
mirthlessc1430
heavisome1435
darkc1440
gloomingc1440
comfortlessc1460
amateda1470
chermatc1475
tristfula1492
lustless?1507
dolorous1513
ruthful1513
downcast1521
deject1528
heartsicka1529
lumpisha1535
coolc1540
dowlyc1540
glum1547
discouraged1548
uncheerfulc1555
dumpish1560
out of heart1565
sadded1566
amoped1573
tristive1578
desolated1580
dejected1581
à la mort1586
delightless1589
afflicted1590
gladless1590
groanful1590
gloomya1593
muddy1592
sitheful1592
cloudy1594
leaden-hearted1596
disconsolated1598
clum1599
life-weary1599
spiritless1600
dusky1602
chop-fallen1604
flat1604
disanimated1605
jaw-fallen1605
moped1606
chap-fallen1608
decheerful1608
uncheerful1612
lacklustrea1616
pulled1616
dumpya1618
depressed1621
head-hung1632
grum1640
downa1644
dispirited1647
down-at-mouth1649
down in (rarely of) the mouth1649
unhearted1650
sunlessa1658
sadful1658
unlightened1659
chagrin1665
saddened1665
damp1667
moping1674
desponding1688
tristitious1694
unenjoying1697
unraised1697
unheartya1699
unked1698
despondent1699
dismal1705
unjoyful1709
unrejoiced1714
dreara1717
disheartened1720
mumpish1721
unrejoicing1726
downhearted1742
out of spirits1745
chagrineda1754
low-spirited1753
sombrea1767
black-blooded1771
glumpy1780
oorie1787
sombrous1789
morose1791
Novemberish1793
glumpish1800
mopeful1800
die-away1802
blue-devilish1804
blue-devilled1807
malagrugrous1818
down in the hip1826
yonderly1828
sunshineless1831
downfaced1832
broody1851
in a (or the) trough1856
blue-devilly1871
drooped1873
glummy1884
pippy1886
humpy1889
pipped1914
lousy1933
pissed1943
crappy1956
doomy1961
bummed1970
the world > health and disease > ill health > [adjective] > in state of ill health or diseased > disordered or out of sorts
out of estatec1400
disordainedc1430
out of order1530
mistempered?1541
untemperate1541
so-soa1592
indisposed1598
discomposed1603
out of sorts1621
disorderly1655
queerish1684
out of one's gears1699
disordered1708
uneasy1725
seedy1729
queer1749
scaly1803
quisby1807
under the weather1827
all nohow1852
toneless1854
nohowish1867
chippy1868
fishy1868
off-colour1876
dicky1883
on-and-offish1888
cheap1891
crook1916
lousy1933
c1386 G. Chaucer Friar's Tale 169 A lowsy Iogelour kan deceyue thee.
1557 Confut. Tyndales Aunswere (new ed.) in Wks. Sir T. More 463/2 He loueth her with suche a lewde lowsye loue, as the lewde lousy louer in lechery loueth himself.
1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 613 His base birth, and lowsy lynage.
1596 T. Nashe Haue with you to Saffron-Walden sig. E2v It is no vpright conclusion to say whatsoeuer is long laboured, is lowsie and not worth a straw.
1669 J. Dryden Wild Gallant i. i. 5 And to discredit me before strangers, for a lousy, Paltry summ of Money?
1708 Brit. Apollo 18–23 June Wicked Rhimes..sung to lowsey Tunes.
1768 L. Sterne Sentimental Journey I. 65 You can never after..be anything in it [sc. the church], said Pride, but a lousy prebendary.
1786 Particulars Trials John Shepherd I might pick up the lousy guinea myself and be damned!
1822 D. O'Connell Corr. (1972) II. 391 Perhaps to save some lousy postage you wrote across the letter. They stop all such letters in France.
1849 A. Gordon Diary 12 July in W. E. Woodward Way Our People Lived (1944) viii. 268 I wish I could never hear the word lousy again. I am willing to bet that Tommy Plunkett uses it fifty times a day, but he is no worse than the others. It is ‘lousy’ this and ‘lousy’ that. The rain is lousy, the trail is lousy, the bacon is lousy, and Gus Thorpe, losing in the card game, has just said that he has had a lousy deal.
1893 R. L. Stevenson Catriona vi. 65 The lousiest, lowest story to hand down to your namesakes in the future.
1922 J. Joyce Ulysses i. i. [Telemachus] 16 You come along with your lousy leer and your gloomy jesuit jibes.
a1930 D. H. Lawrence Last Poems (1932) 197 Oh great god of the machine What lousy archangels and angels you have to surround yourself with!
1932 N. Mitford Christmas Pudding xiv. 220 I still think it's lousy of you not to have taken me last night.
1933 ‘N. West’ Miss Lonelyhearts (1949) 46 I felt swell before you came, and now I feel lousy.
1937 L. Bromfield Rains Came i. xxxix. 170 Life is so short and so lousy.
1950 ‘S. Ransome’ Deadly Miss Ashley xv. 171 She felt too lousy to come to work. A foul cold, she said.
1959 J. Braine Vodi xi. 153 A dirty rotten little whore, who couldn't wait six months for her husband, not six lousy months before she went off with another man.
1959 R. Gant World in Jug 136 That sudden, nervous sweep which made him to my mind one of the lousiest drivers in Paris, city of lousy drivers.
1968 K. Weatherly Roo Shooter 23 You're not a bad bastard, Hunter,..in spite of your lousy cooking.
1968 K. Weatherly Roo Shooter 74 ‘I got fifty-two last night,’ he said... ‘I only got a lousy twelve,’ replied Hunter.
1973 P. Moyes Curious Affair of Third Dog xi. 148 A brisk, pretty, coloured nurse came in... ‘Ah, you're awake... How do you feel?’ ‘Lousy,’ said Henry.
B. adv.
‘Lousily’, extremely. Chiefly North American.In quot. 1971 a mere intensive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > [adverb] > extremely or exceedingly
swithlyc888
micklelyeOE
swith971
hardOE
un-i-fohOE
sevenfoldlOE
unmeet?c1225
innerlyc1330
horribly1340
too1340
sore1474
horriblec1475
vehemently1483
outrageous1487
done?a1513
exquisite1529
strangely1532
exceeding1535
exceedingly1535
angardlyc1540
angerlyc1540
choicec1540
vengeable1542
vengeably?1550
extremelya1554
monstrous1569
thrice1579
amain1587
extremea1591
damnably1598
fellc1600
tyrannically1602
exquisitely1603
damnedly1607
preciously1607
damnablea1616
impensively1620
excellingly1621
main1632
fearful1634
vengeancelya1640
upsy1650
impensely1657
twadding1657
vastly1664
hideous1667
mainly1670
consumed1707
consumedly1707
outrageously1749
damned1757
nation1771
shockingly1777
deuced1779
darn1789
darned1807
felly1807
varsal1814
awful1816
awfy1816
frightfully1816
deucedly1819
dogged1819
awfully1820
gallowsa1823
shocking1831
tremendously1832
everlasting1833
terribly1833
fearfully1835
ripping1838
poison1840
thundering1853
frighteninglyc1854
raring1854
hell's own1863
goldarned1866
goddamned1870
doggone1871
acutely1872
whooping1874
stupidly1878
everlastingly1879
hideously1882
densely1883
storming1883
good and1885
thunderingly1885
crazy1887
tremendous1887
madly1888
goldarn1892
howling1895
murderously1916
rasted1919
goddam1921
bitchingly1923
Christly1923
bitching1929
falling-down1930
lousy1932
appallingly1937
stratospherically1941
Christ almighty1945
effing1945
focking1956
dagnab1961
drop-dead1980
hella1987
totes2006
1932 Amer. Speech 7 436 A man drunk is..‘lousy drunk’.
1936 C. Day Lewis Friendly Tree xiv. 210 Well, not lousy-drunk. Just comfortable.
1971 D. Heffron Nice Fire & Some Moonpennies iv. 33 But she didn't lousy come to school that day! What a blow.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1903; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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adj.adv.1377