Hypertext Webster Gateway: "worse"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Worse \Worse\, n.
1. Loss; disadvantage; defeat. ``Judah was put to the worse
before Israel.'' --Kings xiv. 12.
2. That which is worse; something less good; as, think not
the worse of him for his enterprise.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Worse \Worse\, a., compar. of {Bad}. [OE. werse, worse, wurse,
AS. wiersa, wyrsa, a comparative with no corresponding
positive; akin to OS. wirsa, OFries. wirra, OHG. wirsiro,
Icel. verri, Sw. v["a]rre, Dan. v["a]rre, Goth. wa['i]rsiza,
and probably to OHG. werran to bring into confusion, E. war,
and L. verrere to sweep, sweep along. As bad has no
comparative and superlative, worse and worst are used in lieu
of them, although etymologically they have no relation to
bad.]
Bad, ill, evil, or corrupt, in a greater degree; more bad or
evil; less good; specifically, in poorer health; more sick;
-- used both in a physical and moral sense.
Or worse, if men worse can devise. --Chaucer.
[She] was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse.
--Mark v. 26.
Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse. --2
Tim. iii. 13.
There are men who seem to believe they are not bad
while another can be found worse. --Rambler.
``But I love him.'' ``Love him? Worse and worse.''
--Gay.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Worse \Worse\, adv. [AS. wiers, wyrs; akin to OS. & OHG. wirs,
Icel. verr, Goth, wa['i]rs; a comparative adverb with no
corresponding positive. See {Worse}, a.]
In a worse degree; in a manner more evil or bad.
Now will we deal worse with thee than with them. --Gen.
xix. 9.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Worse \Worse\, v. t. [OE. wursien, AS. wyrsian to become worse.]
To make worse; to put disadvantage; to discomfit; to worst.
See {Worst}, v.
Weapons more violent, when next we meet, May serve to
better us and worse our foes. --Milton.
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)
worse
adj 1: (comparative of `bad') inferior to another in quality or
condition or desirability; "this road is worse than
the first one we took"; "the road is in worse shape
than it was"; "she was accused of worse things than
cheating and lying" [ant: {better}]
2: changed for the worse in health or fitness; "I feel worse
today"; "her cold is worse" [syn: {worsened}] [ant: {better}]
n : something inferior in quality or condition or effect: "for
better or for worse"; "accused of cheating and lying and
worse"
adv : (comparative of `ill') in a less effective or successful or
desirable manner; "he did worse on the second exam"
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