Definition of worst in English:

worst

adjective wəːst

1Of the poorest quality or the lowest standard; least good or desirable.
he was the company's worst driver
the speech was the worst he had ever made
Example sentencesExamples
- Kasparov, a five-time Oscar winner, finished fourth overall with 2262, his worst placing ever.
- The worst performance I've ever seen on stage is by one of these guys.
- The worst cheese I ever had though was a sheep's cheese.
- Wheat growers are expecting their worst crop ever.
- The borough's detection rate is ranked the eighth worst in the country, with only 16.2 per cent of all reported crimes being solved.
- In almost unplayable conditions Blackburn produced their worst performance of the season against local rivals Bolton.
- It was their third defeat in as many games, and they are at the bottom of the Superliga with the division's worst defensive record, 11 goals conceded in 270 minutes.
- ‘That must have been one of my worst races ever,’ said Purdie.
- Oldham's Beever Primary School recorded the region's highest level of unauthorised absence last year - ranking as the 23rd worst in the country.
- He was disgusted by the recent events with four players partying in the Red Stripe Mound immediately after posting their worst score ever at Sabina!
- Little do they know that they have picked the absolute worst getaway driver - a compulsive who cannot go a hair above the speed limit.
- In the interview I mentioned last time, he's rather down on this album himself, which is generally considered his worst.
- Remember, the Wallabies played their worst game all season last year and still swept past Scotland at a canter in the World Cup quarter-final.
- He said: ‘Without any doubt they will be the Post Office's worst results ever.’
- The council says private landlords are responsible for the worst housing in the town.
- ‘The worst professor I ever had, though, was for a course in administrative law,’ she recalls.
- The department has been unhappy with the media practice of rearranging the data into a ranking order of best to worst performing schools, and this new system will make it more difficult to do that.
- Though cleverly written, I consider this one of Hemingway's worst stories.
- One driver gets knocked out every week until the final, and worst driver remains.
- Bucks should have no problem beating Hellenic who are going through their worst season ever, and have even emerged as early relegation candidates.
1. 1.1 Most severe or serious.
  at least 32 people died in Australia's worst bus accident
  Example sentencesExamples
  Relatives of victims of Bradford's worst industrial disaster came together to unveil a memorial stone 120 years on.
  The worst stock market slump in 30 years has hammered global financial stocks, raising fears about the capital strength of banks and insurers.
  By mixing drama, documentary, graphics and archive material, the programme gives an extraordinary insight into the world's worst industrial disaster.
  The worst tornado I've ever seen before this was the one in southern Texas back in '96 that killed 40 people.
  The United Nations described the crisis as the world's worst humanitarian disaster, affecting more than 2m people.
  The worst pandemic ever seen was an outbreak of Spanish flu in 1918 which killed millions around the world, including at least 200,000 in Britain.
  It is the country's worst maritime disaster and ranks as one of the world's worst ferry accidents of all time.
  Can he follow through, not bow to pressure and continue chiding the people into conservation and taking necessary measures as the country faces it worst water shortage ever?
  In one of the worst blackouts, residents were left without heat and light for nine hours.
  City manager Tom Mackey acknowledged that the city was facing one of its worst financial crises and would have to seriously tighten its belt.
  Neal Ascherson, chronicler of the great events in postwar Europe, spent the past week in court assessing a case that goes to the heart of the last century's worst crime.
  With the nation in its worst economic crisis in a generation, budgets to maintain railway lines and other equipment have been severely slashed.
  Italian weather experts call the heat wave one of the five worst in the past 150 years and expected the sizzle to last until September.
  They huddled in blankets donated in massive international relief operations to help El Salvador cope with its worst quake in at least a decade.
  Australia's worst railway accident was in 1977 in the Sydney suburb of Granville, in which 83 people died.
  In Queens, New York, cold rain mixed with tears as hundreds marked the third anniversary of the second worst aviation accident in U.S. history.
  The worst hailstorm ever to hit Egypt struck, beating down crops growing in the fields and even killing people and animals caught in it.
  Chinese authorities have attributed Friday's tragedy to torrential rains that caused the area's worst flash flood and mudslide in 200 years.
  The worst flooding in a century has left several parts of Guyana under five and six feet of water.
  Judge Martin Rudland said it was one of the worst cases of dangerous driving he had ever heard.

adverb wəːstwərst

1Most severely or seriously.
manufacturing and mining are the industries worst affected by falling employment
Example sentencesExamples
- And worst affected of all were those who had written about trauma.
- Meanwhile health chiefs in the area worst hit by foot and mouth yesterday called a halt on the use of pyres to burn thousands of animal carcasses, amid fears that the smoke might affect the health of people living downwind.
- Celebrations are banned in the countries hurt worst.
- Cumbria has the unenviable reputation of being the county worst hit by the virus with 877 confirmed outbreaks and more than 1.1 million animals culled in total.
- The worst hit areas were buses covering New York City, Newark airport, outside New York, and Logan airport in Boston.
- One of the worst hit villages, Naburn, was temporarily cut off by the rising waters.
- The areas worst hit will be around Parliament Street and Temple Bar.
- Thankfully no horses were lost this year and in fact the jocks came off worst.
- Already York residents have been asked to show friends around the worst hit areas.
- In Jakarta, the city worst hit by this epidemic, over 6,200 people have been afflicted by the disease and 50 of them have died.
- This comes as torrential rain forced hundreds of people from their homes in north-east Scotland, the area worst hit by this weekend's extreme weather.
1. 1.1 Least well or pleasingly.
  he was voted the worst-dressed celebrity
  Example sentencesExamples
  The adolescent girls appeared to account for both internal reactions as well as external feedback when considering what feels best and worst about being good.
  There's nothing redeeming in softball, a pastime that seems to attract the greasiest, worst dressed residents of local areas to neighbourhood parks.
  The results of the vote that the world has been holding its breath for are just in: fashion guru Mr Blackwell's worst dressed women list.
  And lo, there was a race within the race for the fastest male runner, fastest female runner, worst dressed runner, funniest runner awards and more.
  Being a woman, too, has its disadvantages, given the lack of genuinely good comedic parts being written, or the tabloid culture of exposing celebrities whenever they look their worst.
  Watch Joan and Melissa Rivers blow the whistle on the evening's best and, yes, worst dressed.
  The worst dressed decade of all times has to be the 1980s.

noun wəːstwərst

1The most serious or unpleasant thing that could happen.
when I saw the ambulance outside her front door, I began to fear the worst
Example sentencesExamples
- It was beyond me to work out that the worst that could happen was she would say she wasn't interested.
- While we were expecting the worst, none of us could be prepared for how devastating this is.
- The worst may not happen, but we must prepare for it
- She failed to respond to calls and text messages to her mobile phone and police feared the worst.
- She was beginning to fear the absolute worst.
- The absolute worst, and this is what happened yesterday, is when she fills the empty space with an offer to get together again.
- Mrs Mitchell said that they are hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.
- I lay there expecting the worst at any moment.
- I have no idea whether he took illegal substances or not, but let's assume the worst.
- If the worst happens, the mortgage would be covered, but he has no other life insurance.
- My mother immediately knew that the worst had happened if her youngest child had not come home.
- So I walked around all weekend thinking the absolute worst.
- And we have 100,000 demonstrators out there, so we are hoping for the absolute worst.
- They have also taken steps to ensure they could still meet school fees if the worst should happen.
- The worst would probably be strategic isolation within the region, and all the additional resources that would, as a consequence, be needed for defense.
- He invited the reporter into his home and explained the facts, but suspected the worst.
- Certainly, Landi Khotal station looked as if it had been built to expect the worst.
- She was expecting the worst at any moment as she opened the door to the gym area.
1. 1.1 The most serious or unpleasant part of something.
  there are signs that the recession is past its worst
  Example sentencesExamples
  I have simplified our relationship down to the fact that Eliza and I bring out the best and worst in each other, but continue to love each other despite it all.
  The worst of the weather is expected to impact the region between Thursday, December 23rd and Sunday December 26th.
  It looked like Robyn may have been over the worst of the disease when tests showed no sign of the cancer.
  The worst of the looting was over, and there was enough calm in the shattered streets for her to feel the popular elation, despite the fear and violence that lay below the surface.
  The worst of the snow will be on high ground but there will be some on lower ground.
  The worst of the attack is over but I'm still spending a great deal of time sleeping and, although the fever's gone, the mysterious joint and muscular aches remain.
  But officials are hoping that the worst of this new flooding is over.
  So in an effort to bring you the best and worst of the past year, here are my top ten sporting highlights as well as my top five lows!
  ‘The worst of the problems is the anti-social behaviour,’ she said.
  And the reward is great - by the time we're settled it'll be Spring and we can start off on the new project, whatever it is, filled with enthusiasm, getting the worst of it done before the seasons change again and the days grow shorter once more.
  The worst of the problems seem to be a thing of the past.
  The worst of the weather had come on a holiday, with offices and most shops closed, and people already indoors, at family celebrations.
  The worst of the gales were predicted to hit the South West, in particular Devon and Cornwall, with high winds also affecting parts of Wales, southern England and the Midlands.
  We are all sick with mucky colds again and Amelia is in the middle of the worst of it.
  With a bit of prudence we should be able to avoid the worst of times.
  Gale Edwards has experienced the best and worst of life in the music theatre business over the past few weeks.
  The annual event, held in the shadow of St Magnus Cathedral, escaped the worst of the forecast weather.
  I had asked whether Yorkshire would escape the worst of the foot and mouth outbreak.
  The worst of the country's terrorism seemed to be in the past.
  The smoke was choking but the worst of it was being carried high into the air.

verb wəːstwərst

[with object]

Get the better of; defeat.
this was not the time for a deep discussion—she was tired and she would be worsted
Example sentencesExamples
- In order to stave off the opponent's attack at the last moment and restore one's position one must keep the moral attitude of initiative so as not to get worsted by the adversary.
- The Eluru, Andhra Pradesh born techie also developed the electronics for Pacific Blue, the advanced version of IBM's Deep Blue computer that worsted Garry Kasparov in a chess series.
- Cheka and Red Army units sent to suppress the peasant rebels were sometimes worsted, sometimes victorious (sometimes it was pitchforks versus machine guns).
- In retrospect, he joins the long list of those who verbally dueled with George and came out worsted.
- Or, you should be prepared for an all-out war where you are sure to be worsted.
- It is possible that one of the Irish kingdoms might ultimately have established a more permanent hegemony, but for the common pattern whereby a worsted claimant sought outside aid.
- Kathopanishad tells the story of Nachiketas who boldly wrangled with Yama, the god of death, and worsted him.
- When interrogated before the royal council she turned evidence against her brother, and offered to fight him - by proxy - in judicial combat, adding that she would be gladly burned alive if her champion was worsted.
- It is in his court that Yajnavalkya worsted all others and had that famous dispute with Gargi.
- Cleon is worsted not by an upright and dignified man but by an illiterate and brazen cynic who beats him at his own game.
- They were more apt to chronicle - for moralizing purposes - the failures, when the authorities were worsted by Vikings, flagrant challengers to the Christian order of things.
- Subsequently levered out of defensive positions on the Bidassoa, Nivelle, and Nive, his battered army was worsted again at Orthez in February 1814, and driven from Toulouse on 11 April.
- In the civil war which ensued Boleslaw was worsted and compelled to take refuge in Hungary.
- The rebels had been worsted by Jiang Zhongyuan's Hunan braves at Soyi Ford.
- But they were worsted in an action at Bhangam, about 10 km northeast of Paonta, on 18 September 1688.
Synonyms
defeat, beat, best, get the better of, gain the advantage over, prevail over, triumph over, gain a victory over, trounce, rout, thrash, drub, vanquish, conquer, master, overcome, overwhelm, overpower, overthrow, crush, subdue, subjugate
outdo, outclass, outstrip, surpass, outwit, outsmart, score points off, make a fool of, humiliate
informal lick, clobber, whip, hammer, beat hollow, slaughter, murder, kill, wipe out, do in, crucify, demolish, wipe the floor with, take to the cleaners, walk all over, run rings around, make mincemeat of, blow out of the water, give someone a hiding, get one up on, get one over on
British informal stuff
North American informal shellac, blow out, cream, skunk, slam
US informal own

Phrases

at its (or someone's) worst

In the most serious, undesirable, or unpleasant state.
nothing's working at the moment, so I suppose you've seen us at our worst
Example sentencesExamples
- It's a very weird thing to look into the eyes of the person you know best, when you are at your worst, and discover they are happy to see it.
- His insights into naked human emotion are simplistic at best, and crude and uncouth at their worst.
- I've always been a big believer that if people like me at my worst then I can start to trust them, just a little.
- I thought, yeah, this guy knows me at my worst and has demonstrated his capacity for compassion, understanding and communication - certainly a few of my favourite things.
- King said most Garda work means you get to see a lot of people at their worst, often drunk or involved in family disputes, but he said the majority of people are inherently good.
- Over the past year, as I shared memories of him with my readers, a portrait of the man emerged, good-humored and cantankerous by turns, not perfect by any means, but even at his worst, loveable.
- The problems of dumping at the site in Broad Close car park are at their worst over the weekend, when piles of mixed waste and hundreds of cardboard boxes are thrown onto the ground, blocking access to the recycling banks.
- Even when I was at my worst, I was getting out of the house four times a week.
- When conditions were at their worst on Saturday, North Yorkshire Police dealt with 601 emergency calls, more than twice their average number.
- With temperatures falling below zero in many parts and sleet and rain forecast for the next few days, road conditions were reported to be at their worst in a decade, particularly in parts of the midlands and southeast.

at worst (or the worst)

1In the most serious case.
at worst the injury could mean months in hospital
Example sentencesExamples
- Many devastated householders are now trying to sort out homes that are at best damp and at worst in need of serious building work.
- Growth for the first six months of 2001 is at best flat and at worst down a few percentage points.
- He said the problem was at best causing an obstruction and at worst could cause a serious accident.
- Even the government now accepts that this will not happen, but might at worst delay enlargement by some months.
- The appeal was not set down until 17th June, so at best the application was just under two months late, and at worst three months late.
1. 1.1Under the most unfavourable interpretation.
  the cabinet's reaction to the crisis was at best ineffective and at worst irresponsible
  Example sentencesExamples
  I hope that at worst they are being mercenary and irresponsible and thoughtless.
  To abandon the barely existent rights that animals are afforded is irresponsible at best, and sadistic at worst.
  You want to see human nature at its absolute worst?
  It was unfortunate that the Bulgarian summer this year was temperamental at best, and downright terrible at worst.
  A narrow focus on electioneering is at best ineffective, and at worst disastrous.
  At their best, these stories offer opportunities for reflection, sort of a first cut of history; at their worst, they fill up time in a slow news day.
  I believe that much of the thinking promoted by the liberal left is lazy at best and downright irresponsible at worst.
  At worst, the cultural differences inherent in such conditions would doom peace talks to failure.
  Marian Wilkinson's reporting in the SMH is at best ordinary, at worst dreadful.
  Even for a lay person such as I am, this goal seems misguided, at best, and seriously damaging at worst.

do one's worst

Do as much damage as one can (often used to express defiance)
let them do their worst—he would never surrender
Example sentencesExamples
- Arguably, he does his worst when he indulges his own sophomoric sense of humor and goes for the cheap laugh.
- Heart attacks are more common in the winter months than in the rest of the year, and the immune system tends to slow as the days grow shorter, enabling diseases to do their worst.
- We are prepared to fight to the death, so do your worst.
- Take me to my enemies and let them do their worst!
- I am afraid, however, that no amount of law enforcement can prevent such motivated criminals from doing their worst.
- The Victoria police force, it seems, practically challenged Kelly and his gang to do their worst.
- I did my mountain climbing and my hill walking when I was a young man, standing proud on the peaks and gazing up to the heavens, challenging them do do their worst.
- Let the critics do their worst, he says - he can take it.
- Her huge bow cut through the Atlantic waves, gales swept her decks and storms did their worst but Cunard's great liner Queen Mary steadfastly carried out a total of 1,001 crossings between Southampton and New York.
- Letting a huff of air escape her mouth after her outburst, she clenched her fists and looked defiantly at Nook, daring him to do his worst.

get (or have) the worst of it

Be in the least advantageous position; suffer the most.
looks to me like you got the worst of it
everyone was ill, but I seemed to get the worst of it
Example sentencesExamples
- But the storm jogged east; they did not get the worst of it.
- His cloak protected him well enough, but his legs and feet got the worst of it, bleeding profusely over the punctured and brittle skin.
- Apparently, Mark got the worst of it with three cracked ribs and a dislocated jaw.
- The airport seems to have got the worst of it but it was wet everywhere.
- We can't tell you if it's going to be them or the town to the east or the town to the west that'll have the worst of it.
- It has been a difficult time for all of us, but Charlotte has had the worst of it.
- Poor Meg, the youngest of those asked to help, had the worst of it.
- In his surprise at the assault he began by getting the worst of it, but it was not long before both his attackers were on the ground nursing bloodied noses.
- Oh well, I had been a fighter all my life and they would get the worst of it if they tried anything.
- Wednesday is the day I have three hours teaching in a row, and my writing and culture students, being last, get the worst of it.

if the worst comes to the worst

If the most serious or difficult circumstances arise.
if the worst comes to the worst and your supplier goes into liquidation, you may be able to get compensation
Example sentencesExamples
- The map can also display filling stations en route and, if the worst comes to the worst, the location of Volkswagen dealers.
- John says the course ‘deals with dealing with confrontation, body language and if the worst comes to the worst, self defence.’
- The car is stiffer than the previous Astra for better crash protection if the worst comes to the worst.
- It is also a good idea, Direct Line advises, that before it gets really cold, you make sure you know where your water stop valve is - so that if the worst comes to the worst and a pipe does burst, you can turn the water off quickly.
- Later it transpires little has been lost, but in the meantime Smith says not to worry, if the worst comes to the worst she'll do another interview.
- It is a heavy burden you lay upon me, but if the worst comes to the worst, I accept.
- However, if the worst comes to the worst and the club is shut down after January 18, then the money raised will go to a local charity.
- The answer is that the railway companies have done little to protect passengers if the worst comes to the worst.
- It does help if you can visualise circuits, and if the worst comes to the worst you can always draw it down on a piece of paper, which is what I do.
- We maybe able to use this as a surrender flag, or if the worst comes to the worst, a rescue flag.

Origin

Old English wierresta, wyrresta (adjective), wierst, wyrst (adverb), of Germanic origin; related to worse.

Rhymes

accursed, burst, curst, erst, first, headfirst, Hurst, thirst, under-rehearsed, unrehearsed, unversed, verst, wurst

Definition of worst in US English:

worst

adverbwərstwərst

1Most severely or seriously.
manufacturing and mining are the industries worst affected by falling employment
Example sentencesExamples
- And worst affected of all were those who had written about trauma.
- Celebrations are banned in the countries hurt worst.
- In Jakarta, the city worst hit by this epidemic, over 6,200 people have been afflicted by the disease and 50 of them have died.
- One of the worst hit villages, Naburn, was temporarily cut off by the rising waters.
- Already York residents have been asked to show friends around the worst hit areas.
- The areas worst hit will be around Parliament Street and Temple Bar.
- Cumbria has the unenviable reputation of being the county worst hit by the virus with 877 confirmed outbreaks and more than 1.1 million animals culled in total.
- The worst hit areas were buses covering New York City, Newark airport, outside New York, and Logan airport in Boston.
- Thankfully no horses were lost this year and in fact the jocks came off worst.
- Meanwhile health chiefs in the area worst hit by foot and mouth yesterday called a halt on the use of pyres to burn thousands of animal carcasses, amid fears that the smoke might affect the health of people living downwind.
- This comes as torrential rain forced hundreds of people from their homes in north-east Scotland, the area worst hit by this weekend's extreme weather.
1. 1.1 Least well or pleasingly.
  he was voted the worst-dressed celebrity
  Example sentencesExamples
  Being a woman, too, has its disadvantages, given the lack of genuinely good comedic parts being written, or the tabloid culture of exposing celebrities whenever they look their worst.
  There's nothing redeeming in softball, a pastime that seems to attract the greasiest, worst dressed residents of local areas to neighbourhood parks.
  The adolescent girls appeared to account for both internal reactions as well as external feedback when considering what feels best and worst about being good.
  Watch Joan and Melissa Rivers blow the whistle on the evening's best and, yes, worst dressed.
  The results of the vote that the world has been holding its breath for are just in: fashion guru Mr Blackwell's worst dressed women list.
  And lo, there was a race within the race for the fastest male runner, fastest female runner, worst dressed runner, funniest runner awards and more.
  The worst dressed decade of all times has to be the 1980s.

nounwərstwərst

1The most serious or unpleasant thing that could happen.
when I saw the ambulance outside her front door, I began to fear the worst
Example sentencesExamples
- My mother immediately knew that the worst had happened if her youngest child had not come home.
- If the worst happens, the mortgage would be covered, but he has no other life insurance.
- So I walked around all weekend thinking the absolute worst.
- She failed to respond to calls and text messages to her mobile phone and police feared the worst.
- Certainly, Landi Khotal station looked as if it had been built to expect the worst.
- I have no idea whether he took illegal substances or not, but let's assume the worst.
- He invited the reporter into his home and explained the facts, but suspected the worst.
- The absolute worst, and this is what happened yesterday, is when she fills the empty space with an offer to get together again.
- The worst would probably be strategic isolation within the region, and all the additional resources that would, as a consequence, be needed for defense.
- And we have 100,000 demonstrators out there, so we are hoping for the absolute worst.
- It was beyond me to work out that the worst that could happen was she would say she wasn't interested.
- She was expecting the worst at any moment as she opened the door to the gym area.
- Mrs Mitchell said that they are hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.
- I lay there expecting the worst at any moment.
- While we were expecting the worst, none of us could be prepared for how devastating this is.
- The worst may not happen, but we must prepare for it
- She was beginning to fear the absolute worst.
- They have also taken steps to ensure they could still meet school fees if the worst should happen.
1. 1.1 The most serious or unpleasant part of something.
  there are signs that the recession is past its worst
  Example sentencesExamples
  So in an effort to bring you the best and worst of the past year, here are my top ten sporting highlights as well as my top five lows!
  The worst of the gales were predicted to hit the South West, in particular Devon and Cornwall, with high winds also affecting parts of Wales, southern England and the Midlands.
  The smoke was choking but the worst of it was being carried high into the air.
  It looked like Robyn may have been over the worst of the disease when tests showed no sign of the cancer.
  ‘The worst of the problems is the anti-social behaviour,’ she said.
  The worst of the weather had come on a holiday, with offices and most shops closed, and people already indoors, at family celebrations.
  I had asked whether Yorkshire would escape the worst of the foot and mouth outbreak.
  The annual event, held in the shadow of St Magnus Cathedral, escaped the worst of the forecast weather.
  The worst of the problems seem to be a thing of the past.
  I have simplified our relationship down to the fact that Eliza and I bring out the best and worst in each other, but continue to love each other despite it all.
  The worst of the attack is over but I'm still spending a great deal of time sleeping and, although the fever's gone, the mysterious joint and muscular aches remain.
  But officials are hoping that the worst of this new flooding is over.
  The worst of the weather is expected to impact the region between Thursday, December 23rd and Sunday December 26th.
  We are all sick with mucky colds again and Amelia is in the middle of the worst of it.
  The worst of the snow will be on high ground but there will be some on lower ground.
  And the reward is great - by the time we're settled it'll be Spring and we can start off on the new project, whatever it is, filled with enthusiasm, getting the worst of it done before the seasons change again and the days grow shorter once more.
  The worst of the country's terrorism seemed to be in the past.
  With a bit of prudence we should be able to avoid the worst of times.
  The worst of the looting was over, and there was enough calm in the shattered streets for her to feel the popular elation, despite the fear and violence that lay below the surface.
  Gale Edwards has experienced the best and worst of life in the music theatre business over the past few weeks.

verbwərstwərst

[with object]

Get the better of; defeat.
this was not the time for a deep discussion—she was tired and she would be worsted
Example sentencesExamples
- It is possible that one of the Irish kingdoms might ultimately have established a more permanent hegemony, but for the common pattern whereby a worsted claimant sought outside aid.
- The Eluru, Andhra Pradesh born techie also developed the electronics for Pacific Blue, the advanced version of IBM's Deep Blue computer that worsted Garry Kasparov in a chess series.
- Cleon is worsted not by an upright and dignified man but by an illiterate and brazen cynic who beats him at his own game.
- In retrospect, he joins the long list of those who verbally dueled with George and came out worsted.
- Cheka and Red Army units sent to suppress the peasant rebels were sometimes worsted, sometimes victorious (sometimes it was pitchforks versus machine guns).
- In the civil war which ensued Boleslaw was worsted and compelled to take refuge in Hungary.
- But they were worsted in an action at Bhangam, about 10 km northeast of Paonta, on 18 September 1688.
- When interrogated before the royal council she turned evidence against her brother, and offered to fight him - by proxy - in judicial combat, adding that she would be gladly burned alive if her champion was worsted.
- It is in his court that Yajnavalkya worsted all others and had that famous dispute with Gargi.
- Or, you should be prepared for an all-out war where you are sure to be worsted.
- Subsequently levered out of defensive positions on the Bidassoa, Nivelle, and Nive, his battered army was worsted again at Orthez in February 1814, and driven from Toulouse on 11 April.
- The rebels had been worsted by Jiang Zhongyuan's Hunan braves at Soyi Ford.
- Kathopanishad tells the story of Nachiketas who boldly wrangled with Yama, the god of death, and worsted him.
- In order to stave off the opponent's attack at the last moment and restore one's position one must keep the moral attitude of initiative so as not to get worsted by the adversary.
- They were more apt to chronicle - for moralizing purposes - the failures, when the authorities were worsted by Vikings, flagrant challengers to the Christian order of things.
Synonyms
defeat, beat, best, get the better of, gain the advantage over, prevail over, triumph over, gain a victory over, trounce, rout, thrash, drub, vanquish, conquer, master, overcome, overwhelm, overpower, overthrow, crush, subdue, subjugate

Phrases

at its (or someone's) worst

In the most serious, undesirable, or unpleasant state.
nothing's working at the moment, so I suppose you've seen us at our worst
Example sentencesExamples
- With temperatures falling below zero in many parts and sleet and rain forecast for the next few days, road conditions were reported to be at their worst in a decade, particularly in parts of the midlands and southeast.
- It's a very weird thing to look into the eyes of the person you know best, when you are at your worst, and discover they are happy to see it.
- I've always been a big believer that if people like me at my worst then I can start to trust them, just a little.
- When conditions were at their worst on Saturday, North Yorkshire Police dealt with 601 emergency calls, more than twice their average number.
- The problems of dumping at the site in Broad Close car park are at their worst over the weekend, when piles of mixed waste and hundreds of cardboard boxes are thrown onto the ground, blocking access to the recycling banks.
- Over the past year, as I shared memories of him with my readers, a portrait of the man emerged, good-humored and cantankerous by turns, not perfect by any means, but even at his worst, loveable.
- Even when I was at my worst, I was getting out of the house four times a week.
- King said most Garda work means you get to see a lot of people at their worst, often drunk or involved in family disputes, but he said the majority of people are inherently good.
- His insights into naked human emotion are simplistic at best, and crude and uncouth at their worst.
- I thought, yeah, this guy knows me at my worst and has demonstrated his capacity for compassion, understanding and communication - certainly a few of my favourite things.

at worst (or the worst)

1In the most serious case.
at worst the injury could mean months in the hospital
Example sentencesExamples
- The appeal was not set down until 17th June, so at best the application was just under two months late, and at worst three months late.
- Even the government now accepts that this will not happen, but might at worst delay enlargement by some months.
- Many devastated householders are now trying to sort out homes that are at best damp and at worst in need of serious building work.
- He said the problem was at best causing an obstruction and at worst could cause a serious accident.
- Growth for the first six months of 2001 is at best flat and at worst down a few percentage points.
1. 1.1Under the most unfavorable interpretation.
  the cabinet's reaction to the crisis was at best ineffective and at worst irresponsible
  Example sentencesExamples
  A narrow focus on electioneering is at best ineffective, and at worst disastrous.
  Marian Wilkinson's reporting in the SMH is at best ordinary, at worst dreadful.
  Even for a lay person such as I am, this goal seems misguided, at best, and seriously damaging at worst.
  At worst, the cultural differences inherent in such conditions would doom peace talks to failure.
  It was unfortunate that the Bulgarian summer this year was temperamental at best, and downright terrible at worst.
  I hope that at worst they are being mercenary and irresponsible and thoughtless.
  To abandon the barely existent rights that animals are afforded is irresponsible at best, and sadistic at worst.
  At their best, these stories offer opportunities for reflection, sort of a first cut of history; at their worst, they fill up time in a slow news day.
  I believe that much of the thinking promoted by the liberal left is lazy at best and downright irresponsible at worst.
  You want to see human nature at its absolute worst?

do one's worst

(in the view of one's opponent) do as much damage as one can (often used to express defiance in the face of threats)
let them do their worst—he would never surrender
Example sentencesExamples
- I am afraid, however, that no amount of law enforcement can prevent such motivated criminals from doing their worst.
- Her huge bow cut through the Atlantic waves, gales swept her decks and storms did their worst but Cunard's great liner Queen Mary steadfastly carried out a total of 1,001 crossings between Southampton and New York.
- Take me to my enemies and let them do their worst!
- Arguably, he does his worst when he indulges his own sophomoric sense of humor and goes for the cheap laugh.
- Heart attacks are more common in the winter months than in the rest of the year, and the immune system tends to slow as the days grow shorter, enabling diseases to do their worst.
- Let the critics do their worst, he says - he can take it.
- Letting a huff of air escape her mouth after her outburst, she clenched her fists and looked defiantly at Nook, daring him to do his worst.
- I did my mountain climbing and my hill walking when I was a young man, standing proud on the peaks and gazing up to the heavens, challenging them do do their worst.
- We are prepared to fight to the death, so do your worst.
- The Victoria police force, it seems, practically challenged Kelly and his gang to do their worst.

get (or have) the worst of it

Be in the least advantageous or successful position; suffer the most.
Example sentencesExamples
- His cloak protected him well enough, but his legs and feet got the worst of it, bleeding profusely over the punctured and brittle skin.
- It has been a difficult time for all of us, but Charlotte has had the worst of it.
- Oh well, I had been a fighter all my life and they would get the worst of it if they tried anything.
- Apparently, Mark got the worst of it with three cracked ribs and a dislocated jaw.
- But the storm jogged east; they did not get the worst of it.
- We can't tell you if it's going to be them or the town to the east or the town to the west that'll have the worst of it.
- In his surprise at the assault he began by getting the worst of it, but it was not long before both his attackers were on the ground nursing bloodied noses.
- Wednesday is the day I have three hours teaching in a row, and my writing and culture students, being last, get the worst of it.
- Poor Meg, the youngest of those asked to help, had the worst of it.
- The airport seems to have got the worst of it but it was wet everywhere.

if worst comes to worst

If the most serious or difficult circumstances arise.
Example sentencesExamples
- The car is stiffer than the previous Astra for better crash protection if the worst comes to the worst.
- The map can also display filling stations en route and, if the worst comes to the worst, the location of Volkswagen dealers.
- It is a heavy burden you lay upon me, but if the worst comes to the worst, I accept.
- It is also a good idea, Direct Line advises, that before it gets really cold, you make sure you know where your water stop valve is - so that if the worst comes to the worst and a pipe does burst, you can turn the water off quickly.
- We maybe able to use this as a surrender flag, or if the worst comes to the worst, a rescue flag.
- John says the course ‘deals with dealing with confrontation, body language and if the worst comes to the worst, self defence.’
- However, if the worst comes to the worst and the club is shut down after January 18, then the money raised will go to a local charity.
- Later it transpires little has been lost, but in the meantime Smith says not to worry, if the worst comes to the worst she'll do another interview.
- The answer is that the railway companies have done little to protect passengers if the worst comes to the worst.
- It does help if you can visualise circuits, and if the worst comes to the worst you can always draw it down on a piece of paper, which is what I do.

in the worst way

informal Very much.
he wants to win in the worst way
Example sentencesExamples
- Thirty years ago, Kesey needed to finish a three book contract with Viking in the worst way, so he did.
- She knew she sounded defensive and was probably annoying, but David's banter had confused her in the worst way.
- The end of summer saps my energy in the worst way.
- Davis, the interim coach since September, wants the job in the worst way.
- I think it's fairly obvious - they're meant for each other in the worst way.
- I just want to warn you that the film, while seemingly sweet, is incredibly subversive in the worst way.
- Once you leave this ten-block stretch, you need a car in the worst way.
- It's the best local television has to offer, and audiences want it in the worst way.
- I'd wanted to be in that race in the worst way, and I'll never forget going out there for pictures and just how proud we were to be part of that elite eight car field.
- And, again, this is a time when the state needs the jobs in the worst way.

Origin

Old English wierresta, wyrresta (adjective), wierst, wyrst (adverb), of Germanic origin; related to worse.

单词	worst
释义	Definition of worst in English: worst adjective wəːst 1Of the poorest quality or the lowest standard; least good or desirable. he was the company's worst driver the speech was the worst he had ever made Example sentencesExamples Kasparov, a five-time Oscar winner, finished fourth overall with 2262, his worst placing ever. The worst performance I've ever seen on stage is by one of these guys. The worst cheese I ever had though was a sheep's cheese. Wheat growers are expecting their worst crop ever. The borough's detection rate is ranked the eighth worst in the country, with only 16.2 per cent of all reported crimes being solved. In almost unplayable conditions Blackburn produced their worst performance of the season against local rivals Bolton. It was their third defeat in as many games, and they are at the bottom of the Superliga with the division's worst defensive record, 11 goals conceded in 270 minutes. ‘That must have been one of my worst races ever,’ said Purdie. Oldham's Beever Primary School recorded the region's highest level of unauthorised absence last year - ranking as the 23rd worst in the country. He was disgusted by the recent events with four players partying in the Red Stripe Mound immediately after posting their worst score ever at Sabina! Little do they know that they have picked the absolute worst getaway driver - a compulsive who cannot go a hair above the speed limit. In the interview I mentioned last time, he's rather down on this album himself, which is generally considered his worst. Remember, the Wallabies played their worst game all season last year and still swept past Scotland at a canter in the World Cup quarter-final. He said: ‘Without any doubt they will be the Post Office's worst results ever.’ The council says private landlords are responsible for the worst housing in the town. ‘The worst professor I ever had, though, was for a course in administrative law,’ she recalls. The department has been unhappy with the media practice of rearranging the data into a ranking order of best to worst performing schools, and this new system will make it more difficult to do that. Though cleverly written, I consider this one of Hemingway's worst stories. One driver gets knocked out every week until the final, and worst driver remains. Bucks should have no problem beating Hellenic who are going through their worst season ever, and have even emerged as early relegation candidates. 1.1 Most severe or serious. at least 32 people died in Australia's worst bus accident Example sentencesExamples Relatives of victims of Bradford's worst industrial disaster came together to unveil a memorial stone 120 years on. The worst stock market slump in 30 years has hammered global financial stocks, raising fears about the capital strength of banks and insurers. By mixing drama, documentary, graphics and archive material, the programme gives an extraordinary insight into the world's worst industrial disaster. The worst tornado I've ever seen before this was the one in southern Texas back in '96 that killed 40 people. The United Nations described the crisis as the world's worst humanitarian disaster, affecting more than 2m people. The worst pandemic ever seen was an outbreak of Spanish flu in 1918 which killed millions around the world, including at least 200,000 in Britain. It is the country's worst maritime disaster and ranks as one of the world's worst ferry accidents of all time. Can he follow through, not bow to pressure and continue chiding the people into conservation and taking necessary measures as the country faces it worst water shortage ever? In one of the worst blackouts, residents were left without heat and light for nine hours. City manager Tom Mackey acknowledged that the city was facing one of its worst financial crises and would have to seriously tighten its belt. Neal Ascherson, chronicler of the great events in postwar Europe, spent the past week in court assessing a case that goes to the heart of the last century's worst crime. With the nation in its worst economic crisis in a generation, budgets to maintain railway lines and other equipment have been severely slashed. Italian weather experts call the heat wave one of the five worst in the past 150 years and expected the sizzle to last until September. They huddled in blankets donated in massive international relief operations to help El Salvador cope with its worst quake in at least a decade. Australia's worst railway accident was in 1977 in the Sydney suburb of Granville, in which 83 people died. In Queens, New York, cold rain mixed with tears as hundreds marked the third anniversary of the second worst aviation accident in U.S. history. The worst hailstorm ever to hit Egypt struck, beating down crops growing in the fields and even killing people and animals caught in it. Chinese authorities have attributed Friday's tragedy to torrential rains that caused the area's worst flash flood and mudslide in 200 years. The worst flooding in a century has left several parts of Guyana under five and six feet of water. Judge Martin Rudland said it was one of the worst cases of dangerous driving he had ever heard. adverb wəːstwərst 1Most severely or seriously. manufacturing and mining are the industries worst affected by falling employment Example sentencesExamples And worst affected of all were those who had written about trauma. Meanwhile health chiefs in the area worst hit by foot and mouth yesterday called a halt on the use of pyres to burn thousands of animal carcasses, amid fears that the smoke might affect the health of people living downwind. Celebrations are banned in the countries hurt worst. Cumbria has the unenviable reputation of being the county worst hit by the virus with 877 confirmed outbreaks and more than 1.1 million animals culled in total. The worst hit areas were buses covering New York City, Newark airport, outside New York, and Logan airport in Boston. One of the worst hit villages, Naburn, was temporarily cut off by the rising waters. The areas worst hit will be around Parliament Street and Temple Bar. Thankfully no horses were lost this year and in fact the jocks came off worst. Already York residents have been asked to show friends around the worst hit areas. In Jakarta, the city worst hit by this epidemic, over 6,200 people have been afflicted by the disease and 50 of them have died. This comes as torrential rain forced hundreds of people from their homes in north-east Scotland, the area worst hit by this weekend's extreme weather. 1.1 Least well or pleasingly. he was voted the worst-dressed celebrity Example sentencesExamples The adolescent girls appeared to account for both internal reactions as well as external feedback when considering what feels best and worst about being good. There's nothing redeeming in softball, a pastime that seems to attract the greasiest, worst dressed residents of local areas to neighbourhood parks. The results of the vote that the world has been holding its breath for are just in: fashion guru Mr Blackwell's worst dressed women list. And lo, there was a race within the race for the fastest male runner, fastest female runner, worst dressed runner, funniest runner awards and more. Being a woman, too, has its disadvantages, given the lack of genuinely good comedic parts being written, or the tabloid culture of exposing celebrities whenever they look their worst. Watch Joan and Melissa Rivers blow the whistle on the evening's best and, yes, worst dressed. The worst dressed decade of all times has to be the 1980s. noun wəːstwərst 1The most serious or unpleasant thing that could happen. when I saw the ambulance outside her front door, I began to fear the worst Example sentencesExamples It was beyond me to work out that the worst that could happen was she would say she wasn't interested. While we were expecting the worst, none of us could be prepared for how devastating this is. The worst may not happen, but we must prepare for it She failed to respond to calls and text messages to her mobile phone and police feared the worst. She was beginning to fear the absolute worst. The absolute worst, and this is what happened yesterday, is when she fills the empty space with an offer to get together again. Mrs Mitchell said that they are hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. I lay there expecting the worst at any moment. I have no idea whether he took illegal substances or not, but let's assume the worst. If the worst happens, the mortgage would be covered, but he has no other life insurance. My mother immediately knew that the worst had happened if her youngest child had not come home. So I walked around all weekend thinking the absolute worst. And we have 100,000 demonstrators out there, so we are hoping for the absolute worst. They have also taken steps to ensure they could still meet school fees if the worst should happen. The worst would probably be strategic isolation within the region, and all the additional resources that would, as a consequence, be needed for defense. He invited the reporter into his home and explained the facts, but suspected the worst. Certainly, Landi Khotal station looked as if it had been built to expect the worst. She was expecting the worst at any moment as she opened the door to the gym area. 1.1 The most serious or unpleasant part of something. there are signs that the recession is past its worst Example sentencesExamples I have simplified our relationship down to the fact that Eliza and I bring out the best and worst in each other, but continue to love each other despite it all. The worst of the weather is expected to impact the region between Thursday, December 23rd and Sunday December 26th. It looked like Robyn may have been over the worst of the disease when tests showed no sign of the cancer. The worst of the looting was over, and there was enough calm in the shattered streets for her to feel the popular elation, despite the fear and violence that lay below the surface. The worst of the snow will be on high ground but there will be some on lower ground. The worst of the attack is over but I'm still spending a great deal of time sleeping and, although the fever's gone, the mysterious joint and muscular aches remain. But officials are hoping that the worst of this new flooding is over. So in an effort to bring you the best and worst of the past year, here are my top ten sporting highlights as well as my top five lows! ‘The worst of the problems is the anti-social behaviour,’ she said. And the reward is great - by the time we're settled it'll be Spring and we can start off on the new project, whatever it is, filled with enthusiasm, getting the worst of it done before the seasons change again and the days grow shorter once more. The worst of the problems seem to be a thing of the past. The worst of the weather had come on a holiday, with offices and most shops closed, and people already indoors, at family celebrations. The worst of the gales were predicted to hit the South West, in particular Devon and Cornwall, with high winds also affecting parts of Wales, southern England and the Midlands. We are all sick with mucky colds again and Amelia is in the middle of the worst of it. With a bit of prudence we should be able to avoid the worst of times. Gale Edwards has experienced the best and worst of life in the music theatre business over the past few weeks. The annual event, held in the shadow of St Magnus Cathedral, escaped the worst of the forecast weather. I had asked whether Yorkshire would escape the worst of the foot and mouth outbreak. The worst of the country's terrorism seemed to be in the past. The smoke was choking but the worst of it was being carried high into the air. verb wəːstwərst [with object] Get the better of; defeat. this was not the time for a deep discussion—she was tired and she would be worsted Example sentencesExamples In order to stave off the opponent's attack at the last moment and restore one's position one must keep the moral attitude of initiative so as not to get worsted by the adversary. The Eluru, Andhra Pradesh born techie also developed the electronics for Pacific Blue, the advanced version of IBM's Deep Blue computer that worsted Garry Kasparov in a chess series. Cheka and Red Army units sent to suppress the peasant rebels were sometimes worsted, sometimes victorious (sometimes it was pitchforks versus machine guns). In retrospect, he joins the long list of those who verbally dueled with George and came out worsted. Or, you should be prepared for an all-out war where you are sure to be worsted. It is possible that one of the Irish kingdoms might ultimately have established a more permanent hegemony, but for the common pattern whereby a worsted claimant sought outside aid. Kathopanishad tells the story of Nachiketas who boldly wrangled with Yama, the god of death, and worsted him. When interrogated before the royal council she turned evidence against her brother, and offered to fight him - by proxy - in judicial combat, adding that she would be gladly burned alive if her champion was worsted. It is in his court that Yajnavalkya worsted all others and had that famous dispute with Gargi. Cleon is worsted not by an upright and dignified man but by an illiterate and brazen cynic who beats him at his own game. They were more apt to chronicle - for moralizing purposes - the failures, when the authorities were worsted by Vikings, flagrant challengers to the Christian order of things. Subsequently levered out of defensive positions on the Bidassoa, Nivelle, and Nive, his battered army was worsted again at Orthez in February 1814, and driven from Toulouse on 11 April. In the civil war which ensued Boleslaw was worsted and compelled to take refuge in Hungary. The rebels had been worsted by Jiang Zhongyuan's Hunan braves at Soyi Ford. But they were worsted in an action at Bhangam, about 10 km northeast of Paonta, on 18 September 1688. Synonyms defeat, beat, best, get the better of, gain the advantage over, prevail over, triumph over, gain a victory over, trounce, rout, thrash, drub, vanquish, conquer, master, overcome, overwhelm, overpower, overthrow, crush, subdue, subjugate outdo, outclass, outstrip, surpass, outwit, outsmart, score points off, make a fool of, humiliate informal lick, clobber, whip, hammer, beat hollow, slaughter, murder, kill, wipe out, do in, crucify, demolish, wipe the floor with, take to the cleaners, walk all over, run rings around, make mincemeat of, blow out of the water, give someone a hiding, get one up on, get one over on British informal stuff North American informal shellac, blow out, cream, skunk, slam US informal own Phrases at its (or someone's) worst In the most serious, undesirable, or unpleasant state. nothing's working at the moment, so I suppose you've seen us at our worst Example sentencesExamples It's a very weird thing to look into the eyes of the person you know best, when you are at your worst, and discover they are happy to see it. His insights into naked human emotion are simplistic at best, and crude and uncouth at their worst. I've always been a big believer that if people like me at my worst then I can start to trust them, just a little. I thought, yeah, this guy knows me at my worst and has demonstrated his capacity for compassion, understanding and communication - certainly a few of my favourite things. King said most Garda work means you get to see a lot of people at their worst, often drunk or involved in family disputes, but he said the majority of people are inherently good. Over the past year, as I shared memories of him with my readers, a portrait of the man emerged, good-humored and cantankerous by turns, not perfect by any means, but even at his worst, loveable. The problems of dumping at the site in Broad Close car park are at their worst over the weekend, when piles of mixed waste and hundreds of cardboard boxes are thrown onto the ground, blocking access to the recycling banks. Even when I was at my worst, I was getting out of the house four times a week. When conditions were at their worst on Saturday, North Yorkshire Police dealt with 601 emergency calls, more than twice their average number. With temperatures falling below zero in many parts and sleet and rain forecast for the next few days, road conditions were reported to be at their worst in a decade, particularly in parts of the midlands and southeast. at worst (or the worst) 1In the most serious case. at worst the injury could mean months in hospital Example sentencesExamples Many devastated householders are now trying to sort out homes that are at best damp and at worst in need of serious building work. Growth for the first six months of 2001 is at best flat and at worst down a few percentage points. He said the problem was at best causing an obstruction and at worst could cause a serious accident. Even the government now accepts that this will not happen, but might at worst delay enlargement by some months. The appeal was not set down until 17th June, so at best the application was just under two months late, and at worst three months late. 1.1Under the most unfavourable interpretation. the cabinet's reaction to the crisis was at best ineffective and at worst irresponsible Example sentencesExamples I hope that at worst they are being mercenary and irresponsible and thoughtless. To abandon the barely existent rights that animals are afforded is irresponsible at best, and sadistic at worst. You want to see human nature at its absolute worst? It was unfortunate that the Bulgarian summer this year was temperamental at best, and downright terrible at worst. A narrow focus on electioneering is at best ineffective, and at worst disastrous. At their best, these stories offer opportunities for reflection, sort of a first cut of history; at their worst, they fill up time in a slow news day. I believe that much of the thinking promoted by the liberal left is lazy at best and downright irresponsible at worst. At worst, the cultural differences inherent in such conditions would doom peace talks to failure. Marian Wilkinson's reporting in the SMH is at best ordinary, at worst dreadful. Even for a lay person such as I am, this goal seems misguided, at best, and seriously damaging at worst. do one's worst Do as much damage as one can (often used to express defiance) let them do their worst—he would never surrender Example sentencesExamples Arguably, he does his worst when he indulges his own sophomoric sense of humor and goes for the cheap laugh. Heart attacks are more common in the winter months than in the rest of the year, and the immune system tends to slow as the days grow shorter, enabling diseases to do their worst. We are prepared to fight to the death, so do your worst. Take me to my enemies and let them do their worst! I am afraid, however, that no amount of law enforcement can prevent such motivated criminals from doing their worst. The Victoria police force, it seems, practically challenged Kelly and his gang to do their worst. I did my mountain climbing and my hill walking when I was a young man, standing proud on the peaks and gazing up to the heavens, challenging them do do their worst. Let the critics do their worst, he says - he can take it. Her huge bow cut through the Atlantic waves, gales swept her decks and storms did their worst but Cunard's great liner Queen Mary steadfastly carried out a total of 1,001 crossings between Southampton and New York. Letting a huff of air escape her mouth after her outburst, she clenched her fists and looked defiantly at Nook, daring him to do his worst. get (or have) the worst of it Be in the least advantageous position; suffer the most. looks to me like you got the worst of it everyone was ill, but I seemed to get the worst of it Example sentencesExamples But the storm jogged east; they did not get the worst of it. His cloak protected him well enough, but his legs and feet got the worst of it, bleeding profusely over the punctured and brittle skin. Apparently, Mark got the worst of it with three cracked ribs and a dislocated jaw. The airport seems to have got the worst of it but it was wet everywhere. We can't tell you if it's going to be them or the town to the east or the town to the west that'll have the worst of it. It has been a difficult time for all of us, but Charlotte has had the worst of it. Poor Meg, the youngest of those asked to help, had the worst of it. In his surprise at the assault he began by getting the worst of it, but it was not long before both his attackers were on the ground nursing bloodied noses. Oh well, I had been a fighter all my life and they would get the worst of it if they tried anything. Wednesday is the day I have three hours teaching in a row, and my writing and culture students, being last, get the worst of it. if the worst comes to the worst If the most serious or difficult circumstances arise. if the worst comes to the worst and your supplier goes into liquidation, you may be able to get compensation Example sentencesExamples The map can also display filling stations en route and, if the worst comes to the worst, the location of Volkswagen dealers. John says the course ‘deals with dealing with confrontation, body language and if the worst comes to the worst, self defence.’ The car is stiffer than the previous Astra for better crash protection if the worst comes to the worst. It is also a good idea, Direct Line advises, that before it gets really cold, you make sure you know where your water stop valve is - so that if the worst comes to the worst and a pipe does burst, you can turn the water off quickly. Later it transpires little has been lost, but in the meantime Smith says not to worry, if the worst comes to the worst she'll do another interview. It is a heavy burden you lay upon me, but if the worst comes to the worst, I accept. However, if the worst comes to the worst and the club is shut down after January 18, then the money raised will go to a local charity. The answer is that the railway companies have done little to protect passengers if the worst comes to the worst. It does help if you can visualise circuits, and if the worst comes to the worst you can always draw it down on a piece of paper, which is what I do. We maybe able to use this as a surrender flag, or if the worst comes to the worst, a rescue flag. Origin Old English wierresta, wyrresta (adjective), wierst, wyrst (adverb), of Germanic origin; related to worse. Rhymes accursed, burst, curst, erst, first, headfirst, Hurst, thirst, under-rehearsed, unrehearsed, unversed, verst, wurst adj.1 phr. Definition of worst in US English: worst adverbwərstwərst 1Most severely or seriously. manufacturing and mining are the industries worst affected by falling employment Example sentencesExamples And worst affected of all were those who had written about trauma. Celebrations are banned in the countries hurt worst. In Jakarta, the city worst hit by this epidemic, over 6,200 people have been afflicted by the disease and 50 of them have died. One of the worst hit villages, Naburn, was temporarily cut off by the rising waters. Already York residents have been asked to show friends around the worst hit areas. The areas worst hit will be around Parliament Street and Temple Bar. Cumbria has the unenviable reputation of being the county worst hit by the virus with 877 confirmed outbreaks and more than 1.1 million animals culled in total. The worst hit areas were buses covering New York City, Newark airport, outside New York, and Logan airport in Boston. Thankfully no horses were lost this year and in fact the jocks came off worst. Meanwhile health chiefs in the area worst hit by foot and mouth yesterday called a halt on the use of pyres to burn thousands of animal carcasses, amid fears that the smoke might affect the health of people living downwind. This comes as torrential rain forced hundreds of people from their homes in north-east Scotland, the area worst hit by this weekend's extreme weather. 1.1 Least well or pleasingly. he was voted the worst-dressed celebrity Example sentencesExamples Being a woman, too, has its disadvantages, given the lack of genuinely good comedic parts being written, or the tabloid culture of exposing celebrities whenever they look their worst. There's nothing redeeming in softball, a pastime that seems to attract the greasiest, worst dressed residents of local areas to neighbourhood parks. The adolescent girls appeared to account for both internal reactions as well as external feedback when considering what feels best and worst about being good. Watch Joan and Melissa Rivers blow the whistle on the evening's best and, yes, worst dressed. The results of the vote that the world has been holding its breath for are just in: fashion guru Mr Blackwell's worst dressed women list. And lo, there was a race within the race for the fastest male runner, fastest female runner, worst dressed runner, funniest runner awards and more. The worst dressed decade of all times has to be the 1980s. nounwərstwərst 1The most serious or unpleasant thing that could happen. when I saw the ambulance outside her front door, I began to fear the worst Example sentencesExamples My mother immediately knew that the worst had happened if her youngest child had not come home. If the worst happens, the mortgage would be covered, but he has no other life insurance. So I walked around all weekend thinking the absolute worst. She failed to respond to calls and text messages to her mobile phone and police feared the worst. Certainly, Landi Khotal station looked as if it had been built to expect the worst. I have no idea whether he took illegal substances or not, but let's assume the worst. He invited the reporter into his home and explained the facts, but suspected the worst. The absolute worst, and this is what happened yesterday, is when she fills the empty space with an offer to get together again. The worst would probably be strategic isolation within the region, and all the additional resources that would, as a consequence, be needed for defense. And we have 100,000 demonstrators out there, so we are hoping for the absolute worst. It was beyond me to work out that the worst that could happen was she would say she wasn't interested. She was expecting the worst at any moment as she opened the door to the gym area. Mrs Mitchell said that they are hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. I lay there expecting the worst at any moment. While we were expecting the worst, none of us could be prepared for how devastating this is. The worst may not happen, but we must prepare for it She was beginning to fear the absolute worst. They have also taken steps to ensure they could still meet school fees if the worst should happen. 1.1 The most serious or unpleasant part of something. there are signs that the recession is past its worst Example sentencesExamples So in an effort to bring you the best and worst of the past year, here are my top ten sporting highlights as well as my top five lows! The worst of the gales were predicted to hit the South West, in particular Devon and Cornwall, with high winds also affecting parts of Wales, southern England and the Midlands. The smoke was choking but the worst of it was being carried high into the air. It looked like Robyn may have been over the worst of the disease when tests showed no sign of the cancer. ‘The worst of the problems is the anti-social behaviour,’ she said. The worst of the weather had come on a holiday, with offices and most shops closed, and people already indoors, at family celebrations. I had asked whether Yorkshire would escape the worst of the foot and mouth outbreak. The annual event, held in the shadow of St Magnus Cathedral, escaped the worst of the forecast weather. The worst of the problems seem to be a thing of the past. I have simplified our relationship down to the fact that Eliza and I bring out the best and worst in each other, but continue to love each other despite it all. The worst of the attack is over but I'm still spending a great deal of time sleeping and, although the fever's gone, the mysterious joint and muscular aches remain. But officials are hoping that the worst of this new flooding is over. The worst of the weather is expected to impact the region between Thursday, December 23rd and Sunday December 26th. We are all sick with mucky colds again and Amelia is in the middle of the worst of it. The worst of the snow will be on high ground but there will be some on lower ground. And the reward is great - by the time we're settled it'll be Spring and we can start off on the new project, whatever it is, filled with enthusiasm, getting the worst of it done before the seasons change again and the days grow shorter once more. The worst of the country's terrorism seemed to be in the past. With a bit of prudence we should be able to avoid the worst of times. The worst of the looting was over, and there was enough calm in the shattered streets for her to feel the popular elation, despite the fear and violence that lay below the surface. Gale Edwards has experienced the best and worst of life in the music theatre business over the past few weeks. verbwərstwərst [with object] Get the better of; defeat. this was not the time for a deep discussion—she was tired and she would be worsted Example sentencesExamples It is possible that one of the Irish kingdoms might ultimately have established a more permanent hegemony, but for the common pattern whereby a worsted claimant sought outside aid. The Eluru, Andhra Pradesh born techie also developed the electronics for Pacific Blue, the advanced version of IBM's Deep Blue computer that worsted Garry Kasparov in a chess series. Cleon is worsted not by an upright and dignified man but by an illiterate and brazen cynic who beats him at his own game. In retrospect, he joins the long list of those who verbally dueled with George and came out worsted. Cheka and Red Army units sent to suppress the peasant rebels were sometimes worsted, sometimes victorious (sometimes it was pitchforks versus machine guns). In the civil war which ensued Boleslaw was worsted and compelled to take refuge in Hungary. But they were worsted in an action at Bhangam, about 10 km northeast of Paonta, on 18 September 1688. When interrogated before the royal council she turned evidence against her brother, and offered to fight him - by proxy - in judicial combat, adding that she would be gladly burned alive if her champion was worsted. It is in his court that Yajnavalkya worsted all others and had that famous dispute with Gargi. Or, you should be prepared for an all-out war where you are sure to be worsted. Subsequently levered out of defensive positions on the Bidassoa, Nivelle, and Nive, his battered army was worsted again at Orthez in February 1814, and driven from Toulouse on 11 April. The rebels had been worsted by Jiang Zhongyuan's Hunan braves at Soyi Ford. Kathopanishad tells the story of Nachiketas who boldly wrangled with Yama, the god of death, and worsted him. In order to stave off the opponent's attack at the last moment and restore one's position one must keep the moral attitude of initiative so as not to get worsted by the adversary. They were more apt to chronicle - for moralizing purposes - the failures, when the authorities were worsted by Vikings, flagrant challengers to the Christian order of things. Synonyms defeat, beat, best, get the better of, gain the advantage over, prevail over, triumph over, gain a victory over, trounce, rout, thrash, drub, vanquish, conquer, master, overcome, overwhelm, overpower, overthrow, crush, subdue, subjugate Phrases at its (or someone's) worst In the most serious, undesirable, or unpleasant state. nothing's working at the moment, so I suppose you've seen us at our worst Example sentencesExamples With temperatures falling below zero in many parts and sleet and rain forecast for the next few days, road conditions were reported to be at their worst in a decade, particularly in parts of the midlands and southeast. It's a very weird thing to look into the eyes of the person you know best, when you are at your worst, and discover they are happy to see it. I've always been a big believer that if people like me at my worst then I can start to trust them, just a little. When conditions were at their worst on Saturday, North Yorkshire Police dealt with 601 emergency calls, more than twice their average number. The problems of dumping at the site in Broad Close car park are at their worst over the weekend, when piles of mixed waste and hundreds of cardboard boxes are thrown onto the ground, blocking access to the recycling banks. Over the past year, as I shared memories of him with my readers, a portrait of the man emerged, good-humored and cantankerous by turns, not perfect by any means, but even at his worst, loveable. Even when I was at my worst, I was getting out of the house four times a week. King said most Garda work means you get to see a lot of people at their worst, often drunk or involved in family disputes, but he said the majority of people are inherently good. His insights into naked human emotion are simplistic at best, and crude and uncouth at their worst. I thought, yeah, this guy knows me at my worst and has demonstrated his capacity for compassion, understanding and communication - certainly a few of my favourite things. at worst (or the worst) 1In the most serious case. at worst the injury could mean months in the hospital Example sentencesExamples The appeal was not set down until 17th June, so at best the application was just under two months late, and at worst three months late. Even the government now accepts that this will not happen, but might at worst delay enlargement by some months. Many devastated householders are now trying to sort out homes that are at best damp and at worst in need of serious building work. He said the problem was at best causing an obstruction and at worst could cause a serious accident. Growth for the first six months of 2001 is at best flat and at worst down a few percentage points. 1.1Under the most unfavorable interpretation. the cabinet's reaction to the crisis was at best ineffective and at worst irresponsible Example sentencesExamples A narrow focus on electioneering is at best ineffective, and at worst disastrous. Marian Wilkinson's reporting in the SMH is at best ordinary, at worst dreadful. Even for a lay person such as I am, this goal seems misguided, at best, and seriously damaging at worst. At worst, the cultural differences inherent in such conditions would doom peace talks to failure. It was unfortunate that the Bulgarian summer this year was temperamental at best, and downright terrible at worst. I hope that at worst they are being mercenary and irresponsible and thoughtless. To abandon the barely existent rights that animals are afforded is irresponsible at best, and sadistic at worst. At their best, these stories offer opportunities for reflection, sort of a first cut of history; at their worst, they fill up time in a slow news day. I believe that much of the thinking promoted by the liberal left is lazy at best and downright irresponsible at worst. You want to see human nature at its absolute worst? do one's worst (in the view of one's opponent) do as much damage as one can (often used to express defiance in the face of threats) let them do their worst—he would never surrender Example sentencesExamples I am afraid, however, that no amount of law enforcement can prevent such motivated criminals from doing their worst. Her huge bow cut through the Atlantic waves, gales swept her decks and storms did their worst but Cunard's great liner Queen Mary steadfastly carried out a total of 1,001 crossings between Southampton and New York. Take me to my enemies and let them do their worst! Arguably, he does his worst when he indulges his own sophomoric sense of humor and goes for the cheap laugh. Heart attacks are more common in the winter months than in the rest of the year, and the immune system tends to slow as the days grow shorter, enabling diseases to do their worst. Let the critics do their worst, he says - he can take it. Letting a huff of air escape her mouth after her outburst, she clenched her fists and looked defiantly at Nook, daring him to do his worst. I did my mountain climbing and my hill walking when I was a young man, standing proud on the peaks and gazing up to the heavens, challenging them do do their worst. We are prepared to fight to the death, so do your worst. The Victoria police force, it seems, practically challenged Kelly and his gang to do their worst. get (or have) the worst of it Be in the least advantageous or successful position; suffer the most. Example sentencesExamples His cloak protected him well enough, but his legs and feet got the worst of it, bleeding profusely over the punctured and brittle skin. It has been a difficult time for all of us, but Charlotte has had the worst of it. Oh well, I had been a fighter all my life and they would get the worst of it if they tried anything. Apparently, Mark got the worst of it with three cracked ribs and a dislocated jaw. But the storm jogged east; they did not get the worst of it. We can't tell you if it's going to be them or the town to the east or the town to the west that'll have the worst of it. In his surprise at the assault he began by getting the worst of it, but it was not long before both his attackers were on the ground nursing bloodied noses. Wednesday is the day I have three hours teaching in a row, and my writing and culture students, being last, get the worst of it. Poor Meg, the youngest of those asked to help, had the worst of it. The airport seems to have got the worst of it but it was wet everywhere. if worst comes to worst If the most serious or difficult circumstances arise. Example sentencesExamples The car is stiffer than the previous Astra for better crash protection if the worst comes to the worst. The map can also display filling stations en route and, if the worst comes to the worst, the location of Volkswagen dealers. It is a heavy burden you lay upon me, but if the worst comes to the worst, I accept. It is also a good idea, Direct Line advises, that before it gets really cold, you make sure you know where your water stop valve is - so that if the worst comes to the worst and a pipe does burst, you can turn the water off quickly. We maybe able to use this as a surrender flag, or if the worst comes to the worst, a rescue flag. John says the course ‘deals with dealing with confrontation, body language and if the worst comes to the worst, self defence.’ However, if the worst comes to the worst and the club is shut down after January 18, then the money raised will go to a local charity. Later it transpires little has been lost, but in the meantime Smith says not to worry, if the worst comes to the worst she'll do another interview. The answer is that the railway companies have done little to protect passengers if the worst comes to the worst. It does help if you can visualise circuits, and if the worst comes to the worst you can always draw it down on a piece of paper, which is what I do. in the worst way informal Very much. he wants to win in the worst way Example sentencesExamples Thirty years ago, Kesey needed to finish a three book contract with Viking in the worst way, so he did. She knew she sounded defensive and was probably annoying, but David's banter had confused her in the worst way. The end of summer saps my energy in the worst way. Davis, the interim coach since September, wants the job in the worst way. I think it's fairly obvious - they're meant for each other in the worst way. I just want to warn you that the film, while seemingly sweet, is incredibly subversive in the worst way. Once you leave this ten-block stretch, you need a car in the worst way. It's the best local television has to offer, and audiences want it in the worst way. I'd wanted to be in that race in the worst way, and I'll never forget going out there for pictures and just how proud we were to be part of that elite eight car field. And, again, this is a time when the state needs the jobs in the worst way. Origin Old English wierresta, wyrresta (adjective), wierst, wyrst (adverb), of Germanic origin; related to worse. adv..1 phr.
随便看	widdiefu widdle widdleing widdles widdle-waddle widdling widdly widdrim widdy widdy waddy way widdy widdy way wide wide-angle wide-angled wide-aperture wide area network wide area of difference wide-armed wide awake wideawake wide awake wide-awakeativeness wide-awakedness wide awake fair wide-awakefulness