very bad at doing something► terrible/awful/hopeless also useless British very bad at doing something, or doing something very badly: · Poor Daniel. He loves football but he's a terrible player.· She'll never pass the exam -- she's an awful student.· Make sure you bring a map -- Erin has a hopeless sense of direction.terrible/awful/hopeless at: · My brother's a computer genius but he's useless at everything else.terrible/awful/hopeless at doing something: · The manager made John a barman as he was obviously hopeless at waiting on tables.
► lousy especially spoken very bad at doing something: · I'm such a lousy cook that I usually eat out.lousy at: · I was lousy at biology in school.
► pathetic use this about someone who is so bad at doing something that you have no respect for them: · She's clever, but as a teacher she's pathetic.· I can't believe we wasted our money on that pathetic comedian last night.
► incompetent use this about someone who cannot do their job at all and should not be doing it: · This government is totally incompetent.· Legislators are planning a new bill that will protect patients from incompetent doctors.
► can't do something to save your life informal to be very bad at something even though you would like to be able to do it properly: can't draw/paint/cook/act etc to save your life: · Adrian can't draw to save his life.· You don't expect me to take part in the play, do you? I can't act to save my life.· The truth is I couldn't write poetry to save my life.