worse1 adjectiveworse2 adverbworse3 noun
worseworse1 /wɜːs $ wɜːrs/ ●●● S1 W2 adjective 
WORD ORIGINworse1
Origin:
Old English wiersa, wyrsaEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- a terrible script and even worse acting
- Conditions in the prison were worse than anything I had seen before.
- Duncan's handwriting is even worse than his sister's.
- I really don't think the situation could be any worse.
- I tried to fix the computer myself, but that just made it worse.
- Stop it Gary, you're worse than the kids!
- The next morning, the weather was much worse, and the team stayed at base camp.
- The traffic is a lot worse after five o'clock.
- His injuries were worse than they would have been if he had been wearing a seat belt.
- I knew that there is no death worse for an eagle than death at the beaks of hooded crows.
- Jack Butler really didn't like the idea that he had been nobbled and worse than that, nobbled by a girl.
- Phillips' problems may be even worse.
- The welfare system, runs this view, makes things worse because it discourages people from working and rewards undesirable behaviour.
- Things could be worse for the McNemars.
- This could only serve to make things worse.
THESAURUS
more unpleasant, bad, severe etc, or of a lower standard or quality: · Recent reports indicate that the situation is getting worse.· Your French is even worse than mine!
of a lower standard or quality than something else, or less good than someone else: · Their wines are of inferior quality.· an inferior product· Trying to do things on the cheap only results in an inferior service.
used to emphasize that someone or something is not nearly as good, big, or nice as someone or something else: · This recording just doesn’t compare with his early recordings.· Our sales this year do not compare with last year’s outstanding results.
informal used to emphasize that the standard of someone or something is not nearly as good as someone or something else: · He’s pretty good, but he’s not in the same league as his brother.
British English informal use this to emphasize that something is not nearly as good as something else, especially something that came before it: · The film wasn’t a patch on the book.· He’s not a patch on Tarantino as a director.
Longman Language Activatorworse more unpleasant, annoying, bad etc, or of a lower standard or quality than someone or something else that is also bad: · I really don't think the situation could be any worse.worse than: · Conditions in the prison were worse than anything I had seen before.· Stop it Gary, you're worse than the kids!even/far worse (=worse than something that is very bad): · Duncan's handwriting is even worse than his sister's.· a terrible script and even worse actinga lot worse/much worse: · The traffic is a lot worse after five o'clock.· The next morning, the weather was much worse, and the team stayed at base camp.make something worse: · I tried to fix the computer myself, but that just made it worse.
of a lower standard, quality, or level than something else that is good: · I like this town better than Harrisburg, but the schools aren't as good.not as good as: · This book is not as good as her last one.· The fishing out there isn't as good as it used to be.not nearly as good as/nowhere near as good as (=use to emphasize that the difference in quality is quite big): · Their latest album isn't nearly as good as their last one.· Cheap, plastic-wrapped cheese is nowhere near as good as the real thing.
formal of a lower quality than something else, or less good at doing something than someone else: · Consumers are tired of paying a high price for what is an increasingly inferior service.· California oil is a heavier and inferior grade of oil, compared with other crude oils. inferior to: · Old Mr Carter was convinced that women doctors were inferior to men.inferior in quality/status/worth etc: · White bread is generally inferior in nutritional value.of inferior quality/materials/status etc: · Their furniture is certainly cheaper, but it's of inferior quality.
especially spoken use this to emphasize that someone or something is not nearly as good as someone or something else: · How can you compare him to Ivan Lendl? He's not in the same league at all.· Vinyl is strong and looks good but it doesn't compare with real leather.not be in the same league as: · It's quite a good movie but not in the same league as 'High Noon' or 'The Magnificent Seven'
British informal use this to emphasize that something is not nearly as good as something else, especially something that came before it: · Shop-bought pasta sauces aren't a patch on home-made.· This year's charity marathon wasn't a patch on last year's.
to become worse · The food here gets worse every day.· My eyesight must be getting worse.· I don't think things can get much worse!get worse and worse · The tension in the flat got worse and worse, and Kate thought about moving out.· Paul's behaviour seems to get worse and worse.
formal to gradually become worse: · If the dispute drags on, conditions in the city could deteriorate.· The US trade position has deteriorated over the past few years.deteriorate rapidly: · Air quality is rapidly deteriorating in our cities.deteriorate to the level/point/stage where . . . (=to deteriorate so much that a particular problem is caused): · School buildings have deteriorated to the point where they pose a health threat to both students and teachers.
to become gradually worse - use this especially about the quality or standard of something: · He's been very unhappy and depressed recently, and his work has definitely gone down.· The quality of life for pensioners in this country has certainly declined recently.go right down British: · The standard of service has gone right down since the company was privatized.
if a bad situation worsens , or something worsens it, it becomes worse: · The weather worsened during the night.· The government's bungling attempts to help have only worsened the refugees' plight.· The situation was worsened by Roy's tendency to drink heavily in times of stress.
if a situation goes from bad to worse , it is already bad and then becomes even worse: · The rail service has gone from bad to worse since it was privatised.· Things went from bad to worse, and soon the pair were barely talking to each other.
to start getting worse, especially after a particular time or event: · Moving in together was a mistake, and things rapidly went downhill.· When things started to go downhill, Kyle began looking for another job.· I said I didn't like baseball, and the interview went downhill from then on.
if the quality of something suffers , it becomes worse as it begins to be affected by something: · His school work suffered because he was continually worried about his mother.· The ferry line denied that safety would suffer if costs were cut.· Her husband, a lawyer, suffered professionally for having to leave the office early every night.
if standards slip , they get worse, because people are not trying hard enough to keep the standards high: · Standards have slipped in the past few months, and we have to try and improve our performance.let things slip: · He used to make sure his apartment was in immaculate condition, but he's let things slip recently.
if a bad situation deepens , it gets worse - use this especially about serious political or military problems: · As the crisis deepened, it became clear that the government was losing control.· The company's legal and financial problems are deepening.
formal if a situation degenerates , it becomes much worse: · There's no denying that our relationship has degenerated over the years.degenerate into: · Attempts by the UK government to prop up the pound on the exchange markets degenerated into chaos.· What should have been a civilised debate degenerated into an unseemly row between the two sides.· Don't allow your comments to degenerate into a personal attack on the employee.
to make a bad or difficult situation worse to make a bad or difficult situation even worse, especially when you were trying to improve it: · Don't interfere. You'll only make things worse.· Trying not to laugh aloud made it worse, and for a moment or two, they were both helpless with suppressed laughter.· Why not try running the anti-virus software? It can't make things any worse, can it?
use this to talk above something that makes a bad situation even worse: · To make matters worse, the director's gone on holiday without leaving anyone in charge.· To make things worse, Jimmy suddenly announced he'd left his passport at home.
to make a bad or difficult situation even worse: · Air pollution may aggravate a child's asthma.· Is the pain aggravated by coughing or laughing?· Any talk of price rises now will only aggravate an already serious situation.
formal to make a bad or difficult situation even worse: · The family's problems were exacerbated when Walter lost his job.· Ironically, the government's reassurances may have exacerbated fear about the disease.
if something compounds a problem, mistake, or difficulty, it adds to the existing problem so that the general situation gets even worse than before: · Strong nationalist sentiment is compounding the deep political problems faced by the President.be compounded by: · John and Val's domestic problems were compounded by stress at work.· The effects of the East Coast snows this year were compounded by severe storms in the spring.
use that to say that something makes a bad situation worse for someone, by unfairly giving them another problem that relates to or is a result of the original one: · The bank not only refused to refund the money but, to add insult to injury, charged me for the letter telling me so!
worst worse than anything else or worse than at any time before: · In my opinion, that's the worst movie of all time.· The doctor said it was one of the worst cases of food poisoning he'd ever seen.· UN workers were withdrawn from the western areas, where the worst bloodshed has occurred.by far the worst (=much worse than any other): · It's by far the worst neighborhood in the whole city.· First thing in the morning is by far the worst time to ask Dad a favour.
if a situation hits or reaches rock bottom , it is worse than it has ever been before, and cannot get any worse than that: · After we lost the contract, morale in the office reached rock bottom.· Confidence in the city's police force has hit rock bottom.
also something takes the biscuit British spoken informal use this to say that something is the worst of its kind - used especially in a humorous way: · I've known some idiots in my time, but you really take the cake. · This last little escapade really takes the biscuit, Tom.
when someone who is ill becomes worse if someone who is ill gets worse or their condition gets worse , they become more seriously ill: · I'm afraid your father is getting worse, and we'll have to keep him in hospital.· The chest pains got worse, and the family doctor was called.
formal if someone's medical condition deteriorates , it gets worse: · Nina's hearing had deteriorated considerably since I last saw her.· His condition deteriorated rapidly during the night.
if someone who has a serious illness relapses , they get worse when they had previously been getting better: · On vacation at home, he relapsed and had to return to hospital for further tests.· Most drug abusers relapse within a year.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYadverbs
When she arrived, things just went from bad to worse (=got even worse)! Delia’s work has been significantly better this year. Two days after the operation, Dad took a turn for the worse. It is taking longer than usual for orders to reach our customers.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
· Conditions were much worse in rural areas.
· To make matters considerably worse, he lost his job.
(=very much worse)· My fate could have been infinitely worse.
· The violence grew progressively worse.
· My cooking’s even worse than yours.
verbs· The recession was getting worse.
· Getting angry will just make things worse.
phrases· The bullying got worse and worse.
· There’s nothing worse than lending something and not getting it back.
· Cheer up – things could be worse.
· I wasn’t sure whether his behaviour was getting better or worse.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES· Your eyesight gradually deteriorates with age.
When she arrived, things just went from bad to worse (=got even worse)! (also somebody's hearing deteriorates)· The medication seemed to make her hearing get worse.
· The job interview proved to be much worse than I had imagined it would be.
· If the pain gets any worse, see your doctor.
Delia’s work has been significantly better this year.· Reports from the area suggest the situation has worsened.
· As the recession proceeds, things will get worse.
· Measures to slow down traffic on the main street have actually made things worse.
Two days after the operation, Dad took a turn for the worse. (=not useful, and causing harm or problems)· It would be worse than useless to try and complain about him.
It is taking longer than usual for orders to reach our customers.· And if the show was a success, that would be even worse.· The operation of set-aside is even worse than the concept.· Entrepreneurial time is too valuable to spend on frivolous games or, even worse, in killing time on the Internet.· Looking ahead to the retirement of the baby-boom generation made the prospect even worse.· So fission power is an even worse idea.· Gina's latest pick-ups were even worse than her circus friends.· Sadly, this experience was even worse than the first.
· The situation with non-US tuna vessels is far worse, as most of them are operating free of any regulations whatsoever.· Disrespect of what this country stands for is far worse.· The traditional, massive unemployment of employable disabled people is far worse than it has ever been.· To be fair, the explosion now is far worse than anyone could have expected.· Hopefully you will also be raising money through sponsorship to help selected projects in countries far worse off than our own.· Police believe the epidemic, as academic experts refer to it, is far worse than the official statistics suggest.· Humane destruction is not easy to face, but fear of the unknown is often far worse than facing the truth.· The experience was far worse than that.
· But now, much worse than that, she was taking up writing.· The Minnesota Index did much worse than the broader market.· The random scattering of seeds, and how much worse, of human souls, appalled her.· This was much worse than the assault.· Jezrael wondered how much worse it would have been if Mars were at aphelion.· But Callisto suffered something much worse.· Mild confusion Many people suffer from this, and it doesn't have to mean that they will eventually become much worse.· Nevertheless Mr King says it would be much worse under Labour.
· Emilio, no worse than any of the others, nevertheless caught hell most often.· Fifty-eight percent say they are no worse than their male counterparts.· We could protest that we're no worse than everyone else.· But of all the mistakes Quinn made from beginning to end, it was no worse than any other.· It may be that urban poverty then was no worse than poverty in the country.· In fact, it was no better and no worse than other Air Force major commands.· For this all one needs is the assurance that a proof using infinitesimals is no worse than one free of infinitesimals.
NOUN· The worse things got for this cheerful pilgrim, the better to enjoy our home comforts.· But there were worse things than silence.· There are worse things than being alone.· But Albert insisted on it, and worse things as well.· I have heard worse things here.
· The Lincolnshire fitters quickly crashed out with an even worse time.· The prolonged federal government shutdown could not have come at a worse time for businessman Herb Stein.· The drought could not have come at a worse time for Texas cattle ranchers.· The guy backing in after us had a worse time with his 52-foot trailer.· He had made a few calls, but couldn't have chosen a worse time to be setting up a casual liaison.· What worse time could Armand have chosen to add his own activity to that of Solange?· For Mr Barak the bombing could not have come at a worse time.· But it couldn't have come at a worse time, given that their volatile relationship has turned into a horror story.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► be none the worse for somethingPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► somebody’s bark is worse than their bite► couldn’t be better/worse/more pleased etc
1[the comparative of bad] more unpleasant, bad, or severeworse than- As 1931 went from bad to worse the possibility of another marriage began to seem her best hope of salvation.
- It went from bad to worse as the heavens opened and turned the circuit into one huge puddle.
- Matters continued to go from bad to worse.
- Matters went from bad to worse.
- On Ithaca, the island where his home was, things had gone from bad to worse.
- That they are going from bad to worse.
- Architectural details there were few and those were the worse for wear.
- But I can see he's the worse for wear, the weathering the worker wreaks on himself.
- But I digress ... We are all somewhat the worse for wear after a long night in the hotel bar.
- Here I was, returning from a presidential mission, and plainly the worse for wear.
- It was a long evening, and he arrived home at two in the morning, much the worse for wear.
- John McGuire was slightly the worse for wear after his night out with his wife.
- They were a bit the worse for wear; the flat was not clean and was damp.
- Bad luck for Venus, worse luck for the 12,000 fans, but hey, what can you do?
- I have to go to secretarial school, worse luck.
- Nearly all gone now, worse luck, and the guv'nor's arrived to read the riot act.
- You're a bad agent and you're worse luck.
- You go up there with the wrong attitude and come out with worse luck than you had before.
- A woman could do worse than be a nurse.
- He could do worse than spend his evening keeping an eye on her.
- In groping for useful precedents, one could do worse than heed the tale of a man named Sherwood Rowland.
- The West could do worse than to base its policy towards the Middle East on that aspiration.
- You could do worse than take a leaf out of the health economists' book.
- The reality is that, for better or worse, the world of publishing has changed.
- All five, for better or worse, have received recent votes of confidence from their respective general managers or team presidents.
- And for better or worse, the new interactivity brings enormous political leverage to ordinary citizens at relatively little cost.
- And the consequences could be even more startling, for better or for worse.
- Decisions made in any of these places can hit our pocketbooks and our peace of mind, for better or for worse.
- He has toted the ball and the expectations, for better or worse.
- He was her husband ... for better or worse, he was her husband.
- Medical students in prolonged contact with junior doctors learn attitudes by example, for better or for worse.
- Today we know for better or for worse that cops, like doctors and priests, are merely human.
- I knew that Grandma's visit would be a fate worse than death.
- After all, she didn't know him, and a fate worse than death might just be awaiting her.
- It certainly wasn't because he was trying to save her from a Fate Worse than Death.
- There are various Pelagias who are known as penitent harlots or virgin martyrs who died to escape a fate worse than death.
- We've even growled at the horse, and threatened it with a fate worse than death, but to no avail!
- Bad luck for Venus, worse luck for the 12,000 fans, but hey, what can you do?
- I have to go to secretarial school, worse luck.
- Nearly all gone now, worse luck, and the guv'nor's arrived to read the riot act.
- You're a bad agent and you're worse luck.
- You go up there with the wrong attitude and come out with worse luck than you had before.
- Although the animal glowed rosy-pink, it appeared none the worse for its ordeal.
- I recovered, my mouth none the worse for it, after all.
- Peter's little pet was clearly none the worse for its time in the underworld.
- And 245 specialty stock funds that focus on particular industries did better still, averaging a 6. 5 percent gain.
- But perhaps the early evening was better still?
- He didn't talk because he was afraid of losing the pole or, worse still, falling in.
- I started to hunt for a cheap restaurant or, better still, a snack shop.
- I thought that it would soon pass, and it did - for you to work harder still.
- Or better still, make a real talent show instead.
- Or better still, there was the village school practically next door!
- With hindsight, it would have better still to lock in a few more gains.
The violence was worse than we expected. The traffic is much worse after five o'clock. The weather was a lot worse this year. Conditions will get worse as the winter continues. High inflation will make unemployment worse. Don’t say anything, you’ll only make matters worse. The bullying got worse and worse until finally he had to leave the school. There’s nothing worse than being robbed while you’re on holiday. The school’s not perfect, but I suppose it could be worse.2more ill than before: If she’s worse in the morning, I’ll call the doctor. I was worried because he seemed to be getting worse rather than better. The tablets seemed to make him worse.3be none the worse for something to not have been harmed by something: She seemed none the worse for her night out in the cold.4worse luck spoken used to say that you are disappointed or annoyed by something: I’ve got one more year of college, worse luck!5somebody could do worse than do something spoken used to say that you think that someone should do something: He could do worse than marry Eleanor.6go from bad to worse to continue getting worse: Things went from bad to worse, and in the end she lost her job.7the worse for wear (also the worse for drink British English) informal drunkGRAMMAR: ComparativesThe comparative form of bad is worse: · The problem is getting worse. ✗Don’t say: The problem is getting more worse. | The problem is getting worser.COLLOCATIONSadverbsmuch/a lot/far worse· Conditions were much worse in rural areas.considerably/substantially worse· To make matters considerably worse, he lost his job.infinitely worse (=very much worse)· My fate could have been infinitely worse.progressively/steadily worse· The violence grew progressively worse.even worse· My cooking’s even worse than yours.verbsget/become/grow worse· The recession was getting worse.make something worse· Getting angry will just make things worse.phrasesworse and worse· The bullying got worse and worse.there’s nothing worse than ...· There’s nothing worse than lending something and not getting it back.something could be worse· Cheer up – things could be worse.better or worse· I wasn’t sure whether his behaviour was getting better or worse.THESAURUSworse more unpleasant, bad, severe etc, or of a lower standard or quality: · Recent reports indicate that the situation is getting worse.· Your French is even worse than mine!inferior of a lower standard or quality than something else, or less good than someone else: · Their wines are of inferior quality.· an inferior product· Trying to do things on the cheap only results in an inferior service.not compare with something used to emphasize that someone or something is not nearly as good, big, or nice as someone or something else: · This recording just doesn’t compare with his early recordings.· Our sales this year do not compare with last year’s outstanding results.not be in the same league informal used to emphasize that the standard of someone or something is not nearly as good as someone or something else: · He’s pretty good, but he’s not in the same league as his brother.not be a patch on something/somebody British English informal use this to emphasize that something is not nearly as good as something else, especially something that came before it: · The film wasn’t a patch on the book.· He’s not a patch on Tarantino as a director.worse1 adjectiveworse2 adverbworse3 noun
worseworse2 ●●● S3 W2 adverb [the comparative of badly] EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- My foot hurts even worse today.
- No one sings worse than I do.
Longman Language Activatorworse
more unpleasant, annoying, bad etc, or of a lower standard or quality than someone or something else that is also bad: · I really don't think the situation could be any worse.worse than: · Conditions in the prison were worse than anything I had seen before.· Stop it Gary, you're worse than the kids!even/far worse (=worse than something that is very bad): · Duncan's handwriting is even worse than his sister's.· a terrible script and even worse actinga lot worse/much worse: · The traffic is a lot worse after five o'clock.· The next morning, the weather was much worse, and the team stayed at base camp.make something worse: · I tried to fix the computer myself, but that just made it worse.
of a lower standard, quality, or level than something else that is good: · I like this town better than Harrisburg, but the schools aren't as good.not as good as: · This book is not as good as her last one.· The fishing out there isn't as good as it used to be.not nearly as good as/nowhere near as good as (=use to emphasize that the difference in quality is quite big): · Their latest album isn't nearly as good as their last one.· Cheap, plastic-wrapped cheese is nowhere near as good as the real thing.
formal of a lower quality than something else, or less good at doing something than someone else: · Consumers are tired of paying a high price for what is an increasingly inferior service.· California oil is a heavier and inferior grade of oil, compared with other crude oils. inferior to: · Old Mr Carter was convinced that women doctors were inferior to men.inferior in quality/status/worth etc: · White bread is generally inferior in nutritional value.of inferior quality/materials/status etc: · Their furniture is certainly cheaper, but it's of inferior quality.
especially spoken use this to emphasize that someone or something is not nearly as good as someone or something else: · How can you compare him to Ivan Lendl? He's not in the same league at all.· Vinyl is strong and looks good but it doesn't compare with real leather.not be in the same league as: · It's quite a good movie but not in the same league as 'High Noon' or 'The Magnificent Seven'
British informal use this to emphasize that something is not nearly as good as something else, especially something that came before it: · Shop-bought pasta sauces aren't a patch on home-made.· This year's charity marathon wasn't a patch on last year's.
to become worse · The food here gets worse every day.· My eyesight must be getting worse.· I don't think things can get much worse!get worse and worse · The tension in the flat got worse and worse, and Kate thought about moving out.· Paul's behaviour seems to get worse and worse.
formal to gradually become worse: · If the dispute drags on, conditions in the city could deteriorate.· The US trade position has deteriorated over the past few years.deteriorate rapidly: · Air quality is rapidly deteriorating in our cities.deteriorate to the level/point/stage where . . . (=to deteriorate so much that a particular problem is caused): · School buildings have deteriorated to the point where they pose a health threat to both students and teachers.
to become gradually worse - use this especially about the quality or standard of something: · He's been very unhappy and depressed recently, and his work has definitely gone down.· The quality of life for pensioners in this country has certainly declined recently.go right down British: · The standard of service has gone right down since the company was privatized.
if a bad situation worsens , or something worsens it, it becomes worse: · The weather worsened during the night.· The government's bungling attempts to help have only worsened the refugees' plight.· The situation was worsened by Roy's tendency to drink heavily in times of stress.
if a situation goes from bad to worse , it is already bad and then becomes even worse: · The rail service has gone from bad to worse since it was privatised.· Things went from bad to worse, and soon the pair were barely talking to each other.
to start getting worse, especially after a particular time or event: · Moving in together was a mistake, and things rapidly went downhill.· When things started to go downhill, Kyle began looking for another job.· I said I didn't like baseball, and the interview went downhill from then on.
if the quality of something suffers , it becomes worse as it begins to be affected by something: · His school work suffered because he was continually worried about his mother.· The ferry line denied that safety would suffer if costs were cut.· Her husband, a lawyer, suffered professionally for having to leave the office early every night.
if standards slip , they get worse, because people are not trying hard enough to keep the standards high: · Standards have slipped in the past few months, and we have to try and improve our performance.let things slip: · He used to make sure his apartment was in immaculate condition, but he's let things slip recently.
if a bad situation deepens , it gets worse - use this especially about serious political or military problems: · As the crisis deepened, it became clear that the government was losing control.· The company's legal and financial problems are deepening.
formal if a situation degenerates , it becomes much worse: · There's no denying that our relationship has degenerated over the years.degenerate into: · Attempts by the UK government to prop up the pound on the exchange markets degenerated into chaos.· What should have been a civilised debate degenerated into an unseemly row between the two sides.· Don't allow your comments to degenerate into a personal attack on the employee.
to make a bad or difficult situation worse to make a bad or difficult situation even worse, especially when you were trying to improve it: · Don't interfere. You'll only make things worse.· Trying not to laugh aloud made it worse, and for a moment or two, they were both helpless with suppressed laughter.· Why not try running the anti-virus software? It can't make things any worse, can it?
use this to talk above something that makes a bad situation even worse: · To make matters worse, the director's gone on holiday without leaving anyone in charge.· To make things worse, Jimmy suddenly announced he'd left his passport at home.
to make a bad or difficult situation even worse: · Air pollution may aggravate a child's asthma.· Is the pain aggravated by coughing or laughing?· Any talk of price rises now will only aggravate an already serious situation.
formal to make a bad or difficult situation even worse: · The family's problems were exacerbated when Walter lost his job.· Ironically, the government's reassurances may have exacerbated fear about the disease.
if something compounds a problem, mistake, or difficulty, it adds to the existing problem so that the general situation gets even worse than before: · Strong nationalist sentiment is compounding the deep political problems faced by the President.be compounded by: · John and Val's domestic problems were compounded by stress at work.· The effects of the East Coast snows this year were compounded by severe storms in the spring.
use that to say that something makes a bad situation worse for someone, by unfairly giving them another problem that relates to or is a result of the original one: · The bank not only refused to refund the money but, to add insult to injury, charged me for the letter telling me so!
worst worse than anything else or worse than at any time before: · In my opinion, that's the worst movie of all time.· The doctor said it was one of the worst cases of food poisoning he'd ever seen.· UN workers were withdrawn from the western areas, where the worst bloodshed has occurred.by far the worst (=much worse than any other): · It's by far the worst neighborhood in the whole city.· First thing in the morning is by far the worst time to ask Dad a favour.
if a situation hits or reaches rock bottom , it is worse than it has ever been before, and cannot get any worse than that: · After we lost the contract, morale in the office reached rock bottom.· Confidence in the city's police force has hit rock bottom.
also something takes the biscuit British spoken informal use this to say that something is the worst of its kind - used especially in a humorous way: · I've known some idiots in my time, but you really take the cake. · This last little escapade really takes the biscuit, Tom.
when someone who is ill becomes worse if someone who is ill gets worse or their condition gets worse , they become more seriously ill: · I'm afraid your father is getting worse, and we'll have to keep him in hospital.· The chest pains got worse, and the family doctor was called.
formal if someone's medical condition deteriorates , it gets worse: · Nina's hearing had deteriorated considerably since I last saw her.· His condition deteriorated rapidly during the night.
if someone who has a serious illness relapses , they get worse when they had previously been getting better: · On vacation at home, he relapsed and had to return to hospital for further tests.· Most drug abusers relapse within a year.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY The business could become less profitable or, even worse, could close down. Suppose Rose, or worse still, Peter had seen the photograph?COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES When she arrived, things just went from bad to worse (=got even worse)! Delia’s work has been significantly better this year. Two days after the operation, Dad took a turn for the worse. It is taking longer than usual for orders to reach our customers.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSVERB
The business could become less profitable or, even worse, could close down. Suppose Rose, or worse still, Peter had seen the photograph?· Your eyesight gradually deteriorates with age.
When she arrived, things just went from bad to worse (=got even worse)! (also somebody's hearing deteriorates)· The medication seemed to make her hearing get worse.
· The job interview proved to be much worse than I had imagined it would be.
· If the pain gets any worse, see your doctor.
Delia’s work has been significantly better this year.· Reports from the area suggest the situation has worsened.
· As the recession proceeds, things will get worse.
· Measures to slow down traffic on the main street have actually made things worse.
Two days after the operation, Dad took a turn for the worse. (=not useful, and causing harm or problems)· It would be worse than useless to try and complain about him.
It is taking longer than usual for orders to reach our customers.· However, a company could do worse.· In groping for useful precedents, one could do worse than heed the tale of a man named Sherwood Rowland.· I knew that he could definitely do worse.
· Repressing your worries and bottling up your feelings will probably make you feel worse.· I had not felt right since Frank had mentioned wanting to move and I felt worse now.· That seemed to make him feel worse.· It was not new to her and this made her feel worse.· Ironically, those in the throes Of assimilating are likely to feel worse about them-selves than those on Union Street.· When there was a letter from his father-and there had been only four-he felt worse.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► somebody’s bark is worse than their bite► couldn’t be better/worse/more pleased etc
in a more severe or serious way than beforeworse than- The reality is that, for better or worse, the world of publishing has changed.
- All five, for better or worse, have received recent votes of confidence from their respective general managers or team presidents.
- And for better or worse, the new interactivity brings enormous political leverage to ordinary citizens at relatively little cost.
- And the consequences could be even more startling, for better or for worse.
- Decisions made in any of these places can hit our pocketbooks and our peace of mind, for better or for worse.
- He has toted the ball and the expectations, for better or worse.
- He was her husband ... for better or worse, he was her husband.
- Medical students in prolonged contact with junior doctors learn attitudes by example, for better or for worse.
- Today we know for better or for worse that cops, like doctors and priests, are merely human.
- I knew that Grandma's visit would be a fate worse than death.
- After all, she didn't know him, and a fate worse than death might just be awaiting her.
- It certainly wasn't because he was trying to save her from a Fate Worse than Death.
- There are various Pelagias who are known as penitent harlots or virgin martyrs who died to escape a fate worse than death.
- We've even growled at the horse, and threatened it with a fate worse than death, but to no avail!
- Bad luck for Venus, worse luck for the 12,000 fans, but hey, what can you do?
- I have to go to secretarial school, worse luck.
- Nearly all gone now, worse luck, and the guv'nor's arrived to read the riot act.
- You're a bad agent and you're worse luck.
- You go up there with the wrong attitude and come out with worse luck than you had before.
- Although the animal glowed rosy-pink, it appeared none the worse for its ordeal.
- I recovered, my mouth none the worse for it, after all.
- Peter's little pet was clearly none the worse for its time in the underworld.
- And 245 specialty stock funds that focus on particular industries did better still, averaging a 6. 5 percent gain.
- But perhaps the early evening was better still?
- He didn't talk because he was afraid of losing the pole or, worse still, falling in.
- I started to hunt for a cheap restaurant or, better still, a snack shop.
- I thought that it would soon pass, and it did - for you to work harder still.
- Or better still, make a real talent show instead.
- Or better still, there was the village school practically next door!
- With hindsight, it would have better still to lock in a few more gains.
By lunch time it was raining worse than ever.[sentence adverb] The business could become less profitable or, even worse, could close down. Suppose Rose, or worse still, Peter had seen the photograph?worse1 adjectiveworse2 adverbworse3 noun
worseworse3 noun [uncountable] EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- This movie was bad, but I've seen worse.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES When she arrived, things just went from bad to worse (=got even worse)! Delia’s work has been significantly better this year. Two days after the operation, Dad took a turn for the worse. It is taking longer than usual for orders to reach our customers.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
· Your eyesight gradually deteriorates with age.
When she arrived, things just went from bad to worse (=got even worse)! (also somebody's hearing deteriorates)· The medication seemed to make her hearing get worse.
· The job interview proved to be much worse than I had imagined it would be.
· If the pain gets any worse, see your doctor.
Delia’s work has been significantly better this year.· Reports from the area suggest the situation has worsened.
· As the recession proceeds, things will get worse.
· Measures to slow down traffic on the main street have actually made things worse.
Two days after the operation, Dad took a turn for the worse. (=not useful, and causing harm or problems)· It would be worse than useless to try and complain about him.
It is taking longer than usual for orders to reach our customers.· These days, a more accurate description is that, despite official assurances, relations are bad and getting worse.· After that, things went from bad to worse.· Denying schooling, however, would just make a bad situation worse.· Matters continued to go from bad to worse.· On Ithaca, the island where his home was, things had gone from bad to worse.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRYPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► somebody’s bark is worse than their bite► couldn’t be better/worse/more pleased etc
1something worse: - Stock prices have taken a turn for the worse.
- The reality is that, for better or worse, the world of publishing has changed.
- All five, for better or worse, have received recent votes of confidence from their respective general managers or team presidents.
- And for better or worse, the new interactivity brings enormous political leverage to ordinary citizens at relatively little cost.
- And the consequences could be even more startling, for better or for worse.
- Decisions made in any of these places can hit our pocketbooks and our peace of mind, for better or for worse.
- He has toted the ball and the expectations, for better or worse.
- He was her husband ... for better or worse, he was her husband.
- Medical students in prolonged contact with junior doctors learn attitudes by example, for better or for worse.
- Today we know for better or for worse that cops, like doctors and priests, are merely human.
- I knew that Grandma's visit would be a fate worse than death.
- After all, she didn't know him, and a fate worse than death might just be awaiting her.
- It certainly wasn't because he was trying to save her from a Fate Worse than Death.
- There are various Pelagias who are known as penitent harlots or virgin martyrs who died to escape a fate worse than death.
- We've even growled at the horse, and threatened it with a fate worse than death, but to no avail!
- Bad luck for Venus, worse luck for the 12,000 fans, but hey, what can you do?
- I have to go to secretarial school, worse luck.
- Nearly all gone now, worse luck, and the guv'nor's arrived to read the riot act.
- You're a bad agent and you're worse luck.
- You go up there with the wrong attitude and come out with worse luck than you had before.
- Although the animal glowed rosy-pink, it appeared none the worse for its ordeal.
- I recovered, my mouth none the worse for it, after all.
- Peter's little pet was clearly none the worse for its time in the underworld.
- And 245 specialty stock funds that focus on particular industries did better still, averaging a 6. 5 percent gain.
- But perhaps the early evening was better still?
- He didn't talk because he was afraid of losing the pole or, worse still, falling in.
- I started to hunt for a cheap restaurant or, better still, a snack shop.
- I thought that it would soon pass, and it did - for you to work harder still.
- Or better still, make a real talent show instead.
- Or better still, there was the village school practically next door!
- With hindsight, it would have better still to lock in a few more gains.
We thought the situation was bad, but worse was to follow.2take a turn for the worse to change and become worse: Last year his health took a turn for the worse.