badly

[ bad-lee ]

/ ˈbæd li /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR badly ON THESAURUS.COM

adverb, worse, worst.

in a defective, incorrect, or undesirable way: The car runs badly.

in an unsatisfactory, inadequate, or unskilled manner: a vague, badly written letter; He paints badly.

unfavorably: His neighbors spoke badly of him. The weather turned out badly for the cruise.

in a wicked, evil, or morally or legally wrong way.

in a disobedient, naughty, or ethically or socially wrong way: He treats his parents badly.

very much; to a great extent or degree: a house badly in need of repair; to want something badly.

severely; direly: to be injured badly.

with great distress, resentment, regret, or emotional display: She took the news of her mother's death badly.

adjective

in ill health; sick: He felt badly.

sorry; regretful: I feel badly about your reaction to my remark.

dejected; downcast.

Idioms for badly

badly off. bad¹(def 41).

Origin of badly

First recorded in 1350–1400, badly is from the Middle English word baddeli. See bad¹, -ly

usage note for badly

In the sense “very much,” badly is fully standard: He needs help badly.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH badly

bad badly (see usage note at bad¹) (see usage note at the current entry)

Words nearby badly

badigeon, badinage, badinerie, badlands, badlands national park, badly, badly off, badman, badmash, badminton, badoglio

Example sentences from the Web for badly

The rage that Marvin has embodied, a man on the edge of eruption, is always a badly wounded man.

The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile |Robert Ward |January 3, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
He then saw two badly wounded uniformed officers in the front of a radio car.

'Please Don't Die!': The Frantic Battle to Save Murdered Cops |Michael Daly |December 22, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Kurnosova badly wants the change to take place democratically.

Russians Plot Exiled Government in Kiev |Anna Nemtsova |December 16, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
On her first entrance, Hitchcock says, “She looks old, they've shot her badly.”

Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days |David Freeman |December 13, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

The Grey Lady said that a series of badly mishandled global crises has “fueled speculation that Mr. Obama may shake up his team.”

Before Ditching His Top Aides, Obama Should Look in the Mirror |Leslie H. Gelb |November 2, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
I call St. Andrews a good course generally; but its bunkers are badly placed.

The Complete Golfer [1905] |Harry Vardon
"But they may not know the way in, and we are as badly off as before," finished the doctor.

The Hilltop Boys on Lost Island |Cyril Burleigh
If a man treats you badly in any way, you threaten to pay him back in his own coin by saying, 'The cat hasn't eaten the year yet.'

English As We Speak It in Ireland |P. W. Joyce
The other ships had fared as badly, and had been riddled with shell.

Under the Star-Spangled Banner |F. S. Brereton
In giving birth to the Duc de Berry she was so badly managed that she became deformed; before that she had a very pretty figure.

The Correspondence of Madame, Princess Palatine, Mother of the Regent; of Marie-Adlade de Savoie, Duchesse de Bourgogne; and of Madame de Maintenon, in Relation to Saint-Cyr |Charlotte-Elisabeth, duchesse d Orlans; Marie Adelaide, of Savoy, Duchess of Burgundy; and Madame de Maintenon

British Dictionary definitions for badly

badly

/ (ˈbædlɪ) /

adverb worse or worst

poorly; defectively; inadequately the chair is badly made

unfavourably; unsuccessfully; unfortunately our scheme worked out badly

severely; gravely he was badly hurt

incorrectly or inaccurately to speak German badly

improperly; naughtily; wickedly to behave badly

without humanity; cruelly to treat someone badly

very much (esp in the phrases need badly, badly in need of, want badly)

regretfully he felt badly about it

badly off poor; impoverished

adjective

(postpositive) Northern English dialect ill; poorly

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

badly

adverb, worse, worst.

adjective

Idioms for badly

Origin of badly

usage note for badly

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH badly

Words nearby badly

Example sentences from the Web for badly

British Dictionary definitions for badly

adverb worse or worst

adjective

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

badly

adverb, worse, worst.

adjective

Idioms for badly

Origin of badly

usage note for badly

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH badly

Words nearby badly

Words related to badly

Example sentences from the Web for badly

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for badly

adverb worse or worst

adjective

British Dictionary definitions for badly