单词 | to do worse |
释义 | > as lemmasto do worse a. to do worse: to behave more wickedly, badly, foolishly, etc.; (also) with indirect object or to, to deal with or treat (a person) more harshly or unkindly.Originally (in Old English) construed with the adverb: see worse adv. 1a and compare worse adv. 1b. Early examples given here are ambiguous as adverb and use of the neuter adjective as a noun are generally not distinguished in form even in early Middle English; however, in the very earliest examples (especially quots. ?a11601, ?a11602) the inflectional final -e may indicate the neuter accusative of the adjective used as noun (compare discussion in etymology at worse adv.). In later use of this phrase in the context of wicked or reprehensible conduct, the word is usually understood as the noun; cf. to do worse at worse adv. Phrases 4, in which worse is used adverbially in the context of doing less well or being less fortunate. Cf. also to do good at good adj., n., adv., and int. Phrases 2d(a). ΘΚΠ society > morality > moral evil > wrong conduct > act wrongly or immorally [verb (intransitive)] > worse to do worse?a1160 ?a1160 Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) (Peterborough contin.) anno 1137 Næure hethen men werse ne diden þan hi diden. ?a1160 Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) (Peterborough contin.) anno 1140 He..dide þanne wærse þanne he hær sculde. a1200 (?c1175) Poema Morale (Trin. Cambr.) 223 in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 226 Werse he doð his gode wines þan his fiendes. c1275 (?c1250) Owl & Nightingale (Calig.) (1935) 1408 Hweþer deþ wurse, flesch þe gost. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 14565 Gurmunddes mon he bicom ne mihte he na wurse don. for Crist seolue he for-soc. c1400 (c1382) J. Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1871) III. 250 Why schulde noȝt men now reprove popes, ȝif þei don now wersse? c1405 (c1395) G. Chaucer Squire's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 592 [Who] kan seyn bet than he, who kan don werse? a1450 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Lamb.) (1887) i. 8696 Syn þey had mercy & pyte, Wirse þan þey, schul nought do we. ?a1534 H. Medwall Nature ii. sig. fii In good fayth syr ye may do wurs. 1535 Bible (Coverdale) Jer. iii. 5 Thou speakest soch wordes, but thou art euer doinge worse, and worse. 1573 T. Cooper Briefe Expos. f. 338v They haue not followed the Corruptions of Sodome and Samaria a little, but..in all wickednesse and Abhomination they had done Worse, and farre passed them. a1616 W. Shakespeare Macbeth (1623) iv. ii. 72 To do worse to you, were fell Cruelty. View more context for this quotation 1680 Earl of Rochester et al. Poems 14 Much Wine had past with grave discourse, Of who Fucks who, and who does worse. 1710 Some Refl. Prerogatives Power & Protection St. Joseph 183 Excuse the Intention, conclude it accidental, and fear you would have done worse, in the like Circumstances. 1774 S. Johnson Let. 4 July in J. Boswell Life (1791) I. 437 I have done worse to Lord Hailes than by neglecting his sheets: I have run him in debt. 1823 J. Galt Entail III. xii. 115 There is no such heart-scalding insolence as in refusing a solicitation, to refer the suppliant to others, and with prudential admonitions too—curse him who would beg, were it not to avoid doing worse. 1864 C. Mackay Stud. from Antique 113 Unless they do worse, and out-babble The preachers of bloodshed and hatred. 1970 N. Bawden Birds on Trees (1991) x. 176 But she must have done worse in her life! Why was it always the small things that rose up to reproach you? 1994 Daily Mail (Nexis) 1 June 23 I was very hopeful until I saw the draw—Colonel Collins is at one and Pencader is 25. They couldn't have done us worse. 2013 Stanford Law Rev. May 1095 Valjean has done worse and had worse done to him. to do (a person) worse †to do (a person) worse: to treat (a person) more harshly or severely; cf. to do worse to (worse adj. and n. Phrases 2a) and to do (a person) woe at woe int., adv., n., and adj. Phrases 1.extracted from worseadv.to do worse P4. to do worse: (in the infinitive after could or might, usually followed by than) to make a worse choice, to have worse fortune (used to indicate an acceptable or recommended course of action). ΚΠ 1826 J. Galt Last of Lairds v. 43 'Tis my opinion, John, that the Laird might do worse than consult you on the subject. 1829 D. Drummond Objections Phrenol. 189 If some of our Grandees (and they might do worse) could induce a few Rajahs &c. to break the spell. 1858 Titan July 77/2 I am not sure, Julia, but we might do worse than settle at Prenderley, either of us. 1907 Ice & Cold Storage June 135/1 If that were the case, the Colonial Premiers could do worse than give attention to it. 1967 J. Wilson in L. Deighton London Dossier 35 Linguists wishing to meet au pair girls might do worse than to hang about the pram park inside Peter Jones department store. 1982 P. Redmond Brookside (Mersey TV transmission script) (O.E.D. Archive) Episode 5. 37 Barry. What do you want me to get? A Reliant Robin? Or a sit-up-and-beg frog thing like across the close have? Sheila. You could do worse. 2010 Guardian (Nexis) 23 Apr. 9 Any voters unable to make up their minds could do worse than consult the online decision engine VoteMatch. < as lemmas |
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