worst (wûrst)

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[Middle English, from Old English wyrsta.]

adjective 

1. Most inferior, as in quality, condition, or effect.
2. Most severe or unfavorable.
3. Being furthest from an ideal or a standard; least desirable or satisfactory.

adverb 

In the worst manner or degree.

transitive verb: worst·ed, worst·ing, worsts. 

To gain the advantage over; defeat.

noun 

Something that is worst.

idioms

at (the) worst

Under the most negative circumstances, estimation, or interpretation: At worst, the storm will make us postpone the trip.

get the worst of it

To suffer a defeat or disadvantage.

if (the) worst comes to (the) worst

If the very worst thing happens.

in the worst way

Very much; a great deal: wanted to be elected in the worst way.

bad¹ (băd)

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[Middle English badde.]

adjective: worse (wûrs), worst (wûrst) 

1. Not achieving an adequate standard; poor: a bad concert.
2. Evil; sinful.
3. Vulgar or obscene: bad language.
4. Informal Disobedient or naughty: bad children.
5. Disagreeable, unpleasant, or disturbing: a bad piece of news.
6. Unfavorable: bad reviews for the play.
7. Not fresh; rotten or spoiled: bad meat.
8. Injurious in effect; detrimental: bad habits.
9. Not working properly; defective: a bad telephone connection.
10. Full of or exhibiting faults or errors: bad grammar.
11. Having no validity; void: passed bad checks.
12. Being so far behind in repayment as to be considered a loss: bad loans.
13. Severe; intense: a bad cold.
14. 1. Being in poor health or in pain: I feel bad today.
    2. Being in poor condition; diseased: bad lungs.
15. Sorry; regretful: She feels bad about how she treated you.
16. Slang Very good; great.

noun 

Something that is below standard or expectations, as of ethics or decency: weighing the good against the bad.

adverb 

Badly.

idioms

in bad

In trouble or disfavor.

my bad

Used to acknowledge that one is at fault.

not half bad

Reasonably good.

derivatives

bad́ness

noun

usage note

Usage Note: Bad is often used as an adverb in sentences such as The house was shaken up pretty bad or We need water bad. This usage is common in informal speech but is widely regarded as unacceptable in formal writing. In an earlier survey, the sentence His tooth ached so bad he could not sleep was unacceptable to 92 percent of the Usage Panel. · The use of badly with want was once considered incorrect but is now entirely acceptable: We wanted badly to go to the beach.  · The adverb badly is often used after verbs such as feel, as in I felt badly about the whole affair. This usage bears analogy to the use of other adverbs with feel, such as strongly in We feel strongly about this issue. Some people prefer to maintain a distinction between feel badly and feel bad, restricting the former to emotional distress and using the latter to cover physical ailments; however, this distinction is not universally observed, so feel badly should be used in a context that makes its meaning clear. ·  Badly is used in some regions to mean “unwell,” as in He was looking badly after the accident. Poorly is also used in this way. In an earlier survey, however, the usage was found unacceptable in formal writing by 75 percent of the Usage Panel.

bad·ly (băd́lē)

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adverb: worse (wûrs), worst (wûrst) 

1. In a bad manner.
2. Very much; greatly. See Usage Note at: bad

ill (ĭl)

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[Middle English, from Old Norse īllr, bad.]

adjective: worse (wûrs), worst (wûrst) 

1. Not healthy; sick: I began to feel ill last week.
2. Not normal; unsound: an ill condition of body and mind.
3. Resulting in suffering; harmful or distressing: the ill effects of a misconceived policy.
4. 1. Resulting from or suggestive of evil intentions: ill deeds committed out of spite.
   2. Ascribing an objectionable quality: holds an ill view of that political group.
   3. Hostile or unfriendly: ill feeling between rivals.
   4. Harmful; pernicious: the ill effects of a misconceived policy.
5. Not favorable; unpropitious: ill predictions.
6. Not measuring up to recognized standards of excellence, as of behavior or conduct.

adverb: worse, worst. 

1. In a sickly or unsound manner; not well.
2. Scarcely or with difficulty.

noun 

1. Evil; sin.
2. Disaster, distress, or harm.
3. Something that causes suffering; trouble: the social ills of urban life.
4. Something that reflects in an unfavorable way on one: Please don't speak ill of me when I'm gone.

idioms

ill at ease

Anxious or unsure; uneasy: The stranger made me feel ill at ease.