worse

 
Pronunciation: /wəːs/

adjective

  • 1of poorer quality or lower standard; less good or desirable: the accommodation was awful and the food was worse I’m becoming a worse footballer every week
  • more serious or severe: the movement made the pain worse
  • more reprehensible or evil: it is worse to intend harm than to be indifferent
  • 2 [predic. or as complement] more ill or unhappy: he felt worse, and groped his way back to bed

adverb

  • less well or skilfully: the more famous I became the worse I painted
  • more seriously or severely: the others had been drunk too, worse than herself

noun

[mass noun]
  • a more serious or unpleasant event or situation: the small department was already stretched to the limit, but worse was to follow
  • (the worse) a less good, favourable, or pleasant condition: the weather changed for the worse

Phrases

none the worse for

not adversely affected by: we were none the worse for our terrible experience

or worse

used to suggest an unspecified possibility that is more serious or unpleasant than one already considered: the child might be born blind or worse

so much the worse for ——

used to suggest that an unfortunate event or situation is the fault of the person specified and that the speaker does not feel any great concern about it: if they were daft enough to believe it, so much the worse for them

the worse for drink

rather drunk: he was somewhat the worse for drink at his farewell party

the worse for wear

informal
  • 1in a poor condition; worn or shabby: the plane had been kept outside the motel for 30 years and was beginning to look the worse for wear
  • 2feeling rather unwell, especially as a result of drinking too much alcohol: we had a bad trip, and he emerged from his cabin looking the worse for wear

worse luck

see luck

worse off

in a less advantageous position; less fortunate or prosperous: her job was not very enjoyable, but plenty of people were worse off the average family will be £8 worse off in tax

Origin:

Old English wyrsa, wiersa (adjective), wiers (adverb), of Germanic origin; related to war