worst

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English worste, wurste, warste, werste, wirste, from Old English wierrest, from Proto-Germanic *wirsistaz, superlative form of *ubilaz (“bad, evil”); compare worse. Cognate with Old Saxon wirsista, wirrista (“worst”), Old High German wirst, wirsesto, wirsisto (“worst”), Danish værst (“worst”), Swedish värst (“worst”), Icelandic verstur (“worst”). === Pronunciation === (UK) (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /wɜːst/ (Northumbria) IPA(key): /wɔːst/ (General American) IPA(key): /wɜɹst/ Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)st === Adjective === worst (for non-slang definitions) superlative form of bad: most bad Most inferior; doing the least good. Most unfavorable. Most harmful or severe. Used with the definite article and an implied noun: something that is worst. ==== Usage notes ==== The comparative badder (for worse) and superlative baddest (for worst) derived from the positive bad are nonstandard. Worst may be further inflected to form the two additional superlatives worstest (nonstandard) and worstestest (informal, humorous). The comparative worser is also nonstandard. ==== Synonyms ==== (most bad): baddest (nonstandard), pessimal ==== Antonyms ==== best, optimal ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== worse ==== Translations ==== === Adverb === worst superlative form of badly: most badly; least well. ==== Translations ==== === Noun === worst (plural worsts) Something or someone that is the worst. ==== Derived terms ==== hope for the best, prepare for the worst ==== Translations ==== === Verb === worst (third-person singular simple present worsts, present participle worsting, simple past and past participle worsted) (archaic, transitive) To make worse. (dated, intransitive) To grow worse; to deteriorate. (rare) To outdo or defeat, especially in battle. === Anagrams === Trows, rowts, strow, trows, worts == Dutch == === Etymology === From Middle Dutch worst, from Old Dutch *wurst, *worst, from Proto-West Germanic *wursti. Cognate with Limburgish wósj, Zealandic woste, Old Saxon worst, Middle Low German worst, Plautdietsch Worscht, Old Frisian *wurst, West Frisian woarst, Old High German wurst, Middle High German wurst, German Wurst, Swabian Wurscht, Sathmar Swabian Wurscht, Bavarian Wuascht, Central Franconian Woosch, Luxembourgish Wuuscht, Hunsrik Worst, East Central German Wurscht, Vilamovian wiyśt, East Franconian Woschd, Rhine Franconian Wurscht, Pennsylvania German Warscht, Palatine German Wurst, Yiddish וווּרשט (vursht). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ʋɔrst/ Hyphenation: worst Rhymes: -ɔrst === Noun === worst f (plural worsten, diminutive worstje n) sausage ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Descendants ==== Afrikaans: wors→ English: wors Jersey Dutch: wârst → Papiamentu: wòrs → Russian: ворса (vorsa) → Sranan Tongo: worst == Middle Dutch == === Etymology === From Old Dutch *wurst, *worst, from Proto-West Germanic *wursti. === Noun === worst f sausage ==== Inflection ==== ==== Descendants ==== Dutch: worstAfrikaans: wors→ English: worsJersey Dutch: wârst→ Papiamentu: wòrs→ Russian: ворса (vorsa)→ Sranan Tongo: worst Limburgish: wósj === Further reading === “worst”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000 Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929), “worst”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN == Middle English == === Alternative forms === warst, warste, werist, werst, werste, wirst, worste, wyrst werrest, wrst, wurst (Early Middle English) === Etymology === From Old English wierst, contraction of wierrest, from Proto-West Germanic *wirsist, from Proto-Germanic *wirsistaz. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈwurst/, /ˈwɛrst/ (later Northern) IPA(key): /ˈwarst/ === Adjective === worst (plural and weak singular worste) superlative degree of yvel superlative degree of ille ==== Descendants ==== English: worst (dialectal wust) Scots: warst, waurst ==== References ==== “werst(e, adj. superlative.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007. === Adverb === worst superlative degree of yvele (adverb) superlative degree of ille (adverb) ==== Descendants ==== English: worst Scots: warst, waurst ==== References ==== “werst(e, adv. superlative.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007. === Noun === worst (uncountable) Something or someone which is the most yvel or ille; the worst. (specifically) The worst-case scenario or eventuality. (figuratively) A rout or loss in battle. ==== Descendants ==== English: worst Scots: warst, waurst ==== References ==== “werst(e, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.