shabbyadj.
/ˈʃabi/, U.S. /ˈʃæbi/ 1.
a. That has lost its newness or freshness of appearance; dingy and faded from wear or exposure. Said of clothes, furniture, houses, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > condition of matter > bad condition of matter > [adjective] > having lost freshness > shabby
shabbed1674
shabby1685
shab-rag1770
fatigued1774
slipshod1818
scuffed1827
scaly1843
seedy1868
dog-eared1872
shoddy1927
1685 London Gaz. No. 2070/4 Having a Gray Coloured Coat and a shabby Perriwig.
1716 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. 22 Aug. (1965) I. 254 In the other, [you see] a sort of shabby finery.
1760 O. Goldsmith in Brit. Mag. Oct. 577/1 A man in very shabby cloaths.
1763 R. Lloyd New-river Head 11 With the drap'ry she had got Within her little shabby cot.
1839 C. Dickens Nicholas Nickleby xvi. 143 There was a stream of people pouring into a shabby house.
1867 G. MacDonald Ann. Quiet Neighbourhood I. vi. 136 It was an old book in very shabby binding.
1884 W. C. Smith Kildrostan 65 I should have been a poacher In shabby velveteen.
1888 A. Jessopp Coming of Friars iii. 123 The surest token that a monastery was in a bad way was that its church was in a shabby condition.
b. Of persons, their appearance, etc.: Poorly-dressed, ‘seedy’.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > wearing clothing > [adjective] > shabbily dressed
scoury?a1513
olda1616
shabby1669
dowdy1676
duddy1718
seedy1725
schleppy1966
schlubby1968
1669 J. Ogilby tr. Homer Odyssey xxiii. 334 Shabby my looks, so mean my garments be, That for her lord she'll not acknowledge me.
1688 Earl of Clarendon Diary 7 Dec. in State Lett. (1763) II. 107 They were very shabby fellows, pitifully mounted, and worse armed.
1699 B. E. New Dict. Canting Crew Shabby, in poor, sorry Rigging.
1782 F. Burney Cecilia I. ii. i. 156 She..was shewn, by a little shabby foot-boy, into a parlour.
1882 M. E. Braddon Mt. Royal II. ix. 179 He lived with a shabby old half-pay father.
c. transferred. Discreditably inferior in quality, making a poor appearance.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > [adjective]
evil971
lowc1175
poor?c1225
feeblec1275
vilea1300
petty1372
unthende1377
secondary1386
petitc1390
unmeeta1393
illa1400
commonc1400
coarse1424
indigent1426
unlikelyc1450
lesser1464
gross1474
naughty1526
inferior1531
reprobate?1545
slender1577
unlikely1578
puny1579
under1580
wooden1592
sordid1596
puisne1598
provant1601
subministrant1604
inferious1607
sublunary1624
indifferent1638
undermatched1642
unworthy1646
underly1648
turncoated1650
female1652
undergraduate1655
farandinical1675
baddishc1736
ungenerous1745
understrapping1762
tinnified1794
demi-semi1805
shabby1805
dicky1819
poor white1821
tin-pot1838
deterior1848
substandard1850
crumby1859
cheesy1863
po'1866
not-quite1867
rocky1873
mouldy1876
low-grade1878
sketchy1878
midget1879
junky1880
ullaged1892
abysmal1904
bodgie1905
junk1908
crap1936
ropy1941
bodger1945
two-star1951
tripey1955
manky1958
schlocky1960
cack1978
wank1991
bowf1994
the mind > goodness and badness > badness or evil > worse > [adjective] > of inferior quality or value or appearance
poorc1300
vile1526
mangya1529
fine1565
palterlya1637
scrubby1754
nice1798
shabby1805
waff-like1808
neat1824
chronic1861
tacky1862
shamblya1937
tatty1940
low-rent1966
scrungy1974
1805 T. F. Fremantle Let. 1 Aug. in P. Fremantle Wynne Diaries (1940) III. vii. 195 I shall not apologise..for the very shabby letters I have been..writing to you.
1820 Countess Granville Lett. (1894) I. 191 Excuse this shabby letter.
1824 S. Smith in Edinb. Rev. July 433 We Scotch, who live in a little shabby scraggy corner of a remote island.
1852 W. M. Thackeray Henry Esmond II. xiv. 252 My Lord Duke's entertainments were both seldom and shabby.
1865 J. S. Mill Exam. Hamilton's Philos. 448 Who, then, would expect such shabby, not arguments, but mists of arguments, as the author presents us with.
1880 E. A. Freeman in W. R. W. Stephens Life & Lett. E. A. Freeman (1895) II. 198 Unless they have mended their ways at Laon since 1869, you will hear the shabbiest of masses there.
2.
a. Of persons, their actions, etc.: Contemptibly mean, ungenerous, or dishonourable. Often applied, in a lighter tone, to conduct which is less friendly or generous than one had hoped for.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > baseness > [adjective]
theowlikec1175
wickc1175
wretcha1200
lechera1300
vilea1300
feeblea1325
brothely1330
caitiffa1400
roinousa1425
basec1450
harlotry1486
filthy1533
brockish1546
vild1568
tinkerly?1576
scabbed?1577
miscreant1593
unnoble1593
slavish1597
rascally1600
roguish1601
sordidous1602
facinoriousa1616
scullion1658
dirty1670
shabbed1674
shabby1679
scoundrel1681
scabby1712
verminating1720
small1824
low-down1865
verminiferous1895
ragtime1917
ribby1936
raunchy1937
scungy1966
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > condition of being held in contempt > [adjective] > contemptible
unworthc893
unwrastc893
littleOE
narrow-hearteda1200
wretcha1200
unworthya1240
wretchedc1250
un-i-wrastc1275
bad1276
lechera1300
feeblea1325
despisablea1340
villain1340
contemptiblec1384
lousyc1386
caitiff1393
brothelyc1400
roinousa1425
poor1425
sevenpennyc1475
nasty1477
peakish1519
filthy1533
despectuous1541
beggary1542
scald1542
shitten?1545
disdainfula1547
contemptuous1549
despicable1553
skit-brained?1553
contemniblea1555
vile1560
sluttish1561
queer1567
scornful1570
scallardc1575
tinkerly?1576
worthless1576
beggarly?1577
paltry1578
halfpenny1579
dog bolt1580
pitiful1582
sneaking1582
triobolar1585
wormisha1586
baddy1586
dudgeon1592
measled1596
packstaff1598
roguey1598
roguish1601
contemptful1608
grovelling1608
lightly1608
disdainable1611
purulent1611
snotty-nose1622
vilipendious1630
cittern-headed1638
wormy1640
pissabed1643
triobolary1644
disparageable1648
blue-bellied1652
unestimable1656
scullion1658
piteous1667
dirty1670
shabbed1674
shabby1679
snotty1681
snotty-nosed1682
mucky1683
bollocky1694
scoundrel1700
scaldeda1704
sneaking1703
ficulnean1716
unsolid1731
pitiable1753
scrubby1754
inimitable1798
scrubbish1798
worm-likea1807
small1824
lowlife1827
ketty1828
skunkish1831
yellow-bellied1833
scaly1843
cockroachya1845
wutless1853
nigger1859
trashy1862
low-down1872
cruddy1877
shitty1879
tinhorn1886
blithering1889
motherfucking1890
snidey1890
pilgarlicky1894
shitass1895
shoddy1918
yah boo1921
bitching1929
shit-faced1932
turdish1936
fricking1937
jerk-off1937
chickenshit1940
sheg-up1941
snot-nosed1941
jerky1944
mother-loving1948
scroungy1948
fecking1952
pissant1952
shit-kicking1953
shit-eating1956
bumboclaat1957
rassclaat1957
shit-headed1959
farkakte1960
shithouse1966
daggy1967
dipshit1968
scuzzy1969
bloodclaat1971
bitch ass1972
wanky1972
streelish1974
twatty1975
twattish1976
dweeby1988
douchey1991
wank1991
cockish1996
1679 J. Sheffield Character of Tory in Wks. (1723) II. 47 These shabby fellows who pretend to be robb'd.
1722 W. Sewel Hist. Quakers vii. 374 Among these was a shabby Fellow, who to get Victuals without working, had thrust himself among the Quakers.
1763 Ld. Holland in J. H. Jesse G. Selwyn & his Contemp. (1843) I. 270 Stephen gives his compliments, but says you left Paris in a shabby manner.
1840 W. M. Thackeray Bedford-Row Conspir. i It was voted a shabby excuse.
1850 F. E. Smedley Frank Fairlegh xv. 136 It would be horridly shabby of you to desert us now.
1892 W. S. Gilbert Mountebanks i What shabby things a man will do when he's eaten up with jealousy.
b. Mean or ungenerous in giving or paying.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > retaining > niggardliness or meanness > [adjective]
gnedec900
gripplea1000
fastOE
narrow-hearteda1200
narrow?c1225
straitc1290
chinchc1300
nithinga1325
scarcec1330
clama1340
hard1340
scantc1366
sparingc1386
niggardc1400
chinchy?1406
retentivea1450
niggardousa1492
niggish1519
unliberal1533
pinching1548
dry1552
nigh1555
niggardly1560
churlish1566
squeamish1566
niggardish1567
niggard-like1567
holding1569
spare1577
handfast1578
envious1580
close-handed1585
hard-handed1587
curmudgeonly1590
parsimonious?1591
costive1594
hidebound1598
penny-pinching1600
penurious1600
strait-handed1600
club-fisted1601
dry-fisted1604
fast-handed1605
fast-fingered1607
close-fisted1608
near1611
scanting1613
carkingc1620
illiberal1623
clutch-fisteda1634
hideboundeda1640
clutch-fista1643
clunch-fisted1644
unbounteous1645
hard-fisted1646
purse-bound1652
close1654
stingy1659
tenacious1676
scanty1692
sneaking1696
gripe-handed1698
narrow-souled1699
niggardling1704
snippy1727
unindulgent1742
shabby1766
neargoinga1774
cheesemongering1781
split-farthing1787
save-all1788
picked1790
iron-fisted1794
unhandsome1800
scaly1803
nearbegoing1805
tight1805
nippit1808
nipcheese1819
cumin-splitting1822
partan-handed1823
scrimping1823
scrumptious1823
scrimpy1825
meanly1827
skinny1833
pinchfisted1837
mean1840
tight-fisted1843
screwy1844
stinty1849
cheeseparing1857
skinflinty1886
mouly1904
mingy1911
cheapskate1912
picey1937
tight-assed1961
chintzy1964
tightwad1976
1766 C. Anstey New Bath Guide v. i. 30 So I took out my Purse, as I hate to be shabby.
1863 P. Barry Dockyard Econ. 154 The Admiralty, always generous to profusion to unworthy people,..is shabby to the sailor.
c. Of a gift or the like: Small or poor as estimated by the giver's means.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > unimportance > [adjective] > paltry, mean, or contemptible
unworthlyc1230
wretcha1250
seely1297
vilec1320
not worth a cress (kerse)1377
the value of a rushc1380
threadbarec1412
wretched1450
miserable?a1513
rascal1519
prettya1522
not worth a whistlea1529
pegrall1535
plack1539
pelting1540
scald1542
sleeveless1551
baggage1553
paltering1553
piddling1559
twopenny1560
paltry1565
rubbish1565
baggagely1573
pelfish1577
halfpenny1579
palting1579
baubling1581
three-halfpenny1581
pitiful1582
triobolar1585
squirting1589
not worth a lousea1592
hedge1596
cheap1597
peddling1597
dribbling1600
mean1600
rascally1600
three-farthingc1600
draughty1602
dilute1605
copper1609
peltry?a1610
threepenny1613
pelsy1631
pimping1640
triobolary1644
pigwidgeon1647
dustya1649
fiddling1652
puddlinga1653
insignificant1658
piteous1667
snotty1681
scrubbed1688
dishonourable1699
scrub1711
footy1720
fouty1722
rubbishing1731
chuck-farthing1748
rubbishy1753
shabby1753
scrubby1754
poxya1758
rubbishly1777
waff-like1808
trinkety1817
meanish1831
one-eyed1843
twiddling1844
measly1847
poking1850
picayunish1852
vild1853
picayune1856
snide1859
two-cent1859
rummagy1872
faddling1883
finicking1886
slushy1889
twopence halfpenny1890
jerk1893
pissy1922
crappy1928
two-bit1932
piddly1933
chickenshit1934
pissing1937
penny packet1943
farkakte1960
pony1964
gay1978
1753 J. Collier Ess. Art of Tormenting ii. iii. 142 Make him some shabby allowance, hardly enough to keep him from starving.
1857 D. Livingstone Missionary Trav. S. Afr. iii. 68 I, being..familiar with their customs, knew that this shabby present was an insult to us.
3. † a. ? Dirty, muddy. Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > dirt > dirtiness or soiling with specific kinds of dirt > [adjective] > muddy
fennyc897
bymodereda1307
slutchedc1400
muddyc1450
miry?c1475
slabby1542
mired1558
mudded1598
muddied1642
mucksy1665
shabby1705
sludgy1782
slushy1791
1705 G. Berkeley Descr. Cave of Dunmore in Wks. (1871) IV. 504 A spacious vault, the bottom whereof is always shabby by reason of the continual distillation of rock-water.
b. dialect and colloquial. Of weather: Wet and unpleasant.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > bad weather > [adjective]
starkOE
unkindc1330
foulc1390
distemperate1398
distempered1490
untemperate1525
intemperate1526
naughty1541
intempered1556
unkindly1579
sour1582
unclement1598
filthy1600
nasty1634
dirty1660
inclement1667
inclemental1709
wretched1711
foul-weather1750
ungenial1816
wersh1830
shabby1853
the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > wet weather > [adjective] > wet (of weather, place, or time)
wetc893
moista1398
waterya1398
moistya1500
waterish1545
washy1566
rotten1567
slabby1653
weety1658
late1673
fresh1790
slottery1790
soft1812
givey1829
juicy1837
sploshy1838
sposhy1842
slip-sloppya1845
splishy-splashyc1850
shabby1853
soppy1872
sappy1885
1853 D. G. Rossetti Let. 12 July (1965) I. 148 The weather had been generally very shabby.
1855 F. K. Robinson Gloss. Yorks. Words 151 A wet shabby day.
1950 W. Stevens Let. 1 Feb. (1967) 663 While we have had an occasional day of proper winter, mostly it has been pretty shabby.
4. Of the pulse: Weak.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > disordered pulse or circulation > [adjective] > small or weak pulse
small1564
empty1654
formicating1684
weak1700
formicant1707
thready1753
weakish1809
formicative1822
thread-like1825
shabby1843
wiry1897
1843 R. J. Graves Syst. Clin. Med. xiv. 175 His pulse was 140 in a minute and remarkably shabby.
1906 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 13 Jan. 70 A rapid shabby pulse.
5. dialect. Diseased with ‘shab’ or scab; = scabby adj. 1.Apparently the original meaning, though not recorded early.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > animal disease or disorder > disorders of sheep > [adjective] > skin disorders
shabbeda1100
shabby1825
1825 J. Jennings Observ. Dial. W. Eng. 66 Shabby, affected with the shab.
1888 F. T. Elworthy W. Somerset Word-bk. (at cited word) They sheep be shabby.
Compounds
†shabby-looked, shabby-looking adjs.
ΚΠ
1705 S. Centlivre Gamester i. i. 5 But, Sir, here was a kind of a—kind of a shabby-look'd fellow.
1853 E. K. Kane U.S. Grinnell Exped. (1856) xl. 365 We are an uncouth, snobby, and withal, shabby-looking set of varlets.
Draft additions December 2002
colloquial. not (too) shabby: impressive, very good; ‘not bad’.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > [adjective]
goodOE
winlyOE
snella1000
winc1275
boonc1325
cleana1375
tidya1375
positivea1398
comelyc1400
kindc1400
kindly?a1425
well-formeda1425
trim?a1513
wally?a1513
bonnya1525
delicatea1533
goodlike1562
sappy1563
bein1567
rum1567
benedict1576
warrantable1581
true (also good, sure) as touch1590
goodlisomea1603
respectable1603
clever1738
amusing1753
plummy1787
bone1793
brickish1843
mooi1850
ryebuck1859
spandy1868
greatisha1871
healthy1878
popular1884
beefy1903
onkus1910
quies1919
cushty1929
high-powered1969
not shabby1975
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > quality of being satisfactory > [adjective] > highly satisfactory
OK1839
hunky-dory1866
(all) Sir Garnet1894
kayo1923
hotsy-totsy1924
oojah-cum-spiff1930
patsy1930
not shabby1975
alpha minus1989
1975 N.Y. Times 14 Apr. 44/1 I don't get down on myself when I don't win. I gave it my best, and 66 and 65 [i.e. golf scores] are not too shabby.
1980 Christian Sci. Monitor (Electronic ed.) 25 Sept. You take a 17, 18-year-old kid who makes 25 grand, that's not too shabby.
1990 Independent 2 Apr. 8/5 It's still a big lead—it's still double digits plus one. That's not shabby for the first woman to run.
1997 Cosmopolitan (U.K. ed.) May 104/1 The salary's not too shabby: £40,000 is average, and it shoots up if you specialise.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1913; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
shabbyv.
/ˈʃabi/, U.S. /ˈʃæbi/ 1. intransitive. To act shabbily. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > ignobleness or baseness > become base or ignoble [verb (intransitive)]
deturpate1691
shabby1898
1898 M. Deland Old Chester Tales 213 ‘They'll be shabbying on me,’ said Katy.
2. transitive and intransitive. To make or become shabby.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > condition of matter > bad condition of matter > deteriorate in condition [verb (intransitive)] > lose freshness > become shabby
shabby1912
1912 Daily Chron. 5 Mar. 9/2 She will probably find that a good deal of the..‘shabbying’ of her clothes is caused by..throwing her dresses carelessly down on chairs.
1920 H. Begbie Life W. Booth I. iii. 56 The shadow of poverty deepening every day upon the shabbying walls of his unhappy home.
1962 D. Lessing Golden Notebk. iv. 536 You'll be one of those tough, square, solid middle-aged men, like a shabbying brown bear, your golden crew-cut greying judiciously at the temples.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1933; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1669
v.1898