> as lemmas

1714 in A. Lowe Vindic. Church of Scotl. 55 He observed in Mr. Dugud such Evidences of his being the worse for Drink, that were both offensive and surprizing to him.

1794 G. Hawley Let. 31 July in H. Hastings Eccl. Rec. State N.Y. (1905) V. 3400 I never saw him the worse for strong drink.

1834 F. Marryat Jacob Faithful I. i. 7 My mother had retired to her bed, a little the worse for liquor.

1872 ‘G. Eliot’ Middlemarch II. iv. xxxix. 316 When a man..has..made himself the worse for liquor, he's done enough mischief for one day.

1881 J. B. Gough Sunlight & Shadow 266 Who ever saw me the worse for drink?

1885 R. L. Stevenson Prince Otto iii. ii. 268 To tell you the open truth, your Highness, I was the worse of drink.

1913 Spectator 24 May 874/1 A learned judge said of Mr. Gladstone that he was often ‘the worse’ for flattery.

1976 Dumfries & Galloway Standard 25 Dec. 13/8 I was the worse of drink and did not know what I was doing.

1996 C. I. Macafee Conc. Ulster Dict. 394/1 The worse of drink, the worse for drink, drunk.

2002 J. McGahern That they may face Rising Sun (2003) 63 Patrick was the worse for drink and in foul humour.