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Webster 1913 Edition

Worst

Worst

,
Adj.
,
sup
erl.
of
Bad
.
[OE.
werst
,
worste
,
wurste
, AS.
wyrst
,
wierst
,
wierrest
. See
Worse
,
Adj.
]
Bad, evil, or pernicious, in the highest degree, whether in a physical or moral sense. See
Worse
.
“Heard so oft in worst extremes.”
Milton.
I have a wife, the
worst
that may be.
Chaucer.
If thou hadst not been born the
worst
of men,
Thou hadst been a knave and flatterer.
Shakespeare

Worst

,
Noun.
That which is most bad or evil; the most severe, pernicious, calamitous, or wicked state or degree.
The
worst
is not
So long as we can say, This is the
worst
.
Shakespeare
He is always sure of finding diversion when the
worst
comes to the
worst
.
Addison.

Worst

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Worsted
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Worsting
.]
[See
Worse
,
Verb.
T.
&
Adj.
]
To gain advantage over, in contest or competition; to get the better of; to defeat; to overthrow; to discomfit.
The . . . Philistines were
worsted
by the captivated ark.
South.

Worst

,
Verb.
I.
To grow worse; to deteriorate.
[R.]
“Every face . . . worsting.”
Jane Austen.

Webster 1828 Edition

Worst

WORST

,
Adj.
[superl. of worse, which see.]
1.
Most bad; most evil; in a moral sense; as the worst man; the worst sinner.
2.
Most severe or dangerous; most difficult to heal; as the worst disease.
3.
Most afflictive, pernicious or calamitous; as the worst evil that can befall a state or an individual.

WORST

,
Noun.
1.
The most evil state; in a moral sense.
2.
The most severe or aggravated state; the highth; as, the disease is at the worst.
3.
The most calamitous state. Be armed against the worst.

WORST

,
Verb.
T.
To get the advantage over in contest; to defeat; to overthrow. It is madness to contend, when we are sure to be worsted.

Definition 2024

worst

worst

English

Adjective

worst

  1. superlative form of bad: most bad
    1. Most inferior; doing the least good.
      I think putting oil on a burn is the worst thing you can do.
    2. Most unfavorable.
      That's the worst news I've had all day.
    3. Most harmful or severe.
      The worst storm we had last winter knocked down our power lines.
    4. Most ill.
      I'm feeling really ill — the worst I've felt all week.
    5. Used with the definite article and an implied noun: something that is worst.
      None of these photographs of me are good, but this one is definitely the worst.

Synonyms

  • (most ill): illest (nonstandard)

Antonyms

Derived terms

  • worstness
  • fear the worst
  • turn for the worst

Related terms

Translations

Noun

worst

  1. something or someone that is the worst

Translations

Adverb

worst

  1. In the worst way: most badly, most ill.
    My sore leg hurts worst when it's cold and rainy.
    This is the worst-written essay I've ever seen.
    She's the worst-informed of the lot.

Translations

Verb

worst ‎(third-person singular simple present worsts, present participle worsting, simple past and past participle worsted)

  1. (archaic, transitive) To make worse.
  2. (dated, intransitive) To grow worse; to deteriorate.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Jane Austen:
      Anne haggard, Mary coarse, every face in the neighbourhood worsting.
  3. (rare) To outdo or defeat, especially in battle.
    • South
      The […] Philistines were worsted by the captivated ark.
    • 1869, Louisa May Alcott, Little Women.
      Jo carried her love of liberty and hate of conventionalities to such an unlimited extent that she naturally found herself worsted in an argument.

Quotations

  • For usage examples of this term, see Citations:worst.

Anagrams

Dutch

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -ɔrst

Etymology

From Middle Dutch worst, from Old Dutch *wurst, *worst, from Proto-Germanic *wurstiz.

Noun

worst f ‎(plural worsten, diminutive worstje n)

  1. sausage

Derived terms

Pronunciation

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