badness

Variant of bad

bad definition

bad (bad)

adjective worse, worst

    1. not good; not as it should be a bad attitude, a bad deal
    2. defective in quality; below standard; inadequate bad plumbing
  1. showing a lack of talent, judgment, aptitude, skill, etc. a bad painting, a bad writer
  2. not pleasant; unfavorable; disagreeable bad news
  3. rotten; spoiled a bad apple
  4. incorrect; faulty; erroneous bad spelling
    1. wicked; immoral
    2. not behaving properly; mischievous
  5. causing injury; harmful bad for one's health
  6. severe a bad storm
  7. ill; in poor health
  8. sorry; distressed he feels bad about it
  9. offensive; disgusting a bad smell
  10. unpaid and not collectible a bad debt
  11. Law defective; not valid; void a bad title
  12. badder bad′·der, baddest bad′·destSlang very good, stylish, effective, etc.

Etymology: ME bad, badde < ? OE bæddel, hermaphrodite

adverb worse, worst

Informal badly

noun

  1. anything that is bad; bad quality or state
  2. wickedness

Related Forms:

bad Idioms

go to the bad

Informal to become wicked, shiftless, etc.; degenerate

in bad

Informal
  1. in trouble
  2. in disfavor

not bad

Informal good; fairly good; not unsatisfactory

the bad

those who are wicked

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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