I. ˈwərs, ˈwə̄s, ˈwəis adjective, comparative of bad , or of ill
Etymology: Middle English werse, wurse, worse, from Old English wiersa, wyrsa; akin to Old High German wirsiro worse, Old Norse verri, Gothic wairsiza; comparative (with the suffix represented by Old English -ra ) of a root perhaps represented by Old High German werran to confuse — more at war , -er
1. : of inferior or deteriorated quality, value, or material condition
the swampy land he bought appears worse than the rocky land he sold
his shoes are rather the worse for wear
the monuments were … in a state the worse for an earthquake — Douglas Carruthers
his house … was the worse for the weather — H.M.Tomlinson
2.
a. : more unfavorable, unpleasant, or unlucky : more painful or grievous : less agreeable or desirable
the consequences of the second attempt are worse
was not the artistic type … worse luck — James Jones
are questions of degree and … are none the worse for it — E.N.Griswold
if the facts indicate that the hero is inadequate, so much the worse for the facts — G.W.Johnson
b. : more faulty, unsuitable, or incorrect : ill-conceived : unattractive , inappropriate
displays manners worse than those of a boor
the food is bad, the service worse
would not convey the thought that an opinion is the worse for being lightened by a smile — B.N.Cardozo
c. : less skillful or efficient : doing work more poorly
worse than any carpenter I know
3.
a. : bad, evil, ill, or corrupt in a greater degree : more reprehensible
it may be no worse to cheat than to steal
breed worse criminals out of men — Hodding Carter
b. : poorer in health or physical condition : more sick or infirm
appears worse since his accident
decided to let the tooth get worse — W.J.Reilly
people have been kept awake for five or six days … without being any the worse for it physically — Geoffrey Jefferson
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English wyrse, from neuter of wyrsa, adjective
1.
a. : something that is worse
if he were not dead, worse must have happened to him — Vicki Baum
living in an atmosphere … full of boredom and sometimes of worse — Louis Bromfield
threatened excommunication and worse — G.C.Sellery
thought he was an atheist and worse — Van Wyck Brooks
b. : a greater degree of ill or badness : the quality or state of being worse
if worse comes to worst
had taken a turn for the worse — Greer Williams
whether the change was for the better or for the worse — Times Literary Supplement
2. : a person of inferior or less virtuous character
fear there will be a worse come in his place — Shakespeare
tossing the rascals out only to see their places taken by worse
III. adverb, comparative of bad , or of ill
Etymology: Middle English werse, wurse, worse, from Old English wiers, wyrs; akin to Old High German wirs worse, Old Norse verr, Gothic wairs; all from the root represented by Old English wiersa, adjective, worse
: in a worse manner : to a worse extent or degree
we sleep worse in very hot weather — Geoffrey Jefferson
this week the confusion … has become worse confounded — Economist
it is possible for a society to attain new peaks in its culture while many of its members are worse off than before — A.L.Kroeber
I write the better when laurel-crowned and the worse for criticism — W.T.Scott
IV. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: worse (I)
transitive verb
archaic : to make worse
intransitive verb
archaic : to become worse : worsen
V. adverb
: what is worse