Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Worst"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Worst \Worst\, a., superl. of {Bad}. [OE. werst, worste, wurste,
AS. wyrst, wierst, wierrest. See {Worse}, a.]
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. --Shak.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Worst \Worst\, n.
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. --Shak.
He is always sure of finding diversion when the worst
comes to the worst. --Addison.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Worst \Worst\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Worsted}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Worsting}.] [See {Worse}, v. t. & a.]
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.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Worst \Worst\, v. i.
To grow worse; to deteriorate. [R.] ``Every face . . .
worsting.'' --Jane Austen.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Bad \Bad\ (b[a^]d), a. [Compar. {Worse}; superl. {Worst}. ]
[Probably fr. AS. b[ae]ddel hermaphrodite; cf. b[ae]dling
effeminate fellow.]
Wanting good qualities, whether physical or moral; injurious,
hurtful, inconvenient, offensive, painful, unfavorable, or
defective, either physically or morally; evil; vicious;
wicked; -- the opposite of {good}; as, a bad man; bad
conduct; bad habits; bad soil; bad health; bad crop; bad
news.
Note: Sometimes used substantively.
The strong antipathy of good to bad. --Pope.
Syn: Pernicious; deleterious; noxious; baneful; injurious;
hurtful; evil; vile; wretched; corrupt; wicked; vicious;
imperfect.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
worst
adj : (superlative of `bad') most wanting in quality or value or
condition; "the worst player on the team"; "the worst
weather of the year" [ant: {best}]
n 1: the least favorable outcome; "the worst that could happen"
2: the greatest damage or wickedness of which one is capable:
"the invaders did their worst"; "so pure of heart that his
worst is another man's best"
3: the weakest effort or poorest achievement one is capable of:
"it was the worst he had ever done on a test" [ant: {best}]
adv : to the highest degree of inferiority or badness; "She
suffered worst of all"; "schools were the worst hit by
government spending cuts"; "the worst dressed person
present"
v : colloquial usage; defeat thoroughly; "He mopped up the floor
with his opponents" [syn: {pip}, {mop up}, {whip}, {rack
up}]
Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents;
see the Webster Gateway FAQ,
and also the Back-end/database links and credits.