worser

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *wers-der.

Proto-Germanic *wirsizô

Old English wiersa

Middle English worse

English worse

Proto-Indo-European *-yōs

Proto-Germanic *-izô

Proto-West Germanic *-iʀō

Proto-Germanic *-ōzô

Proto-West Germanic *-ōʀō

Old English -ra

Middle English -ere

English -er

English worser

From worse + -er.

Adjective

worser

1. (archaic or nonstandard) worse.
   • c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:

     That were my ſtate farre worſer then it is,
     I would not wed her for a mine of Gold

   • 1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […], →OCLC, Act II:

     Spencer ere it flow thrice at London bridge, / London I feare will heare of worſer newes.

   • 1674, Divers Rural and Oeconomical Inquiries, recommended to Observation and Tryal, in Philosophical Transactions, vol. 9

     Whether Flower, kneaded and baked as ſoon as it comes from the Mill, whilſt ’tis yet warm, yields blacker and worſer Bread?

   • 1911, Joseph Edward Harry, The Antigone of Sophocles (Cincinnati: The Robert Clarke Company), page 65

     Creon. What worser ill is now to follow this?

   • 2002, Ron Lovell, Murder at Yaquina Head

     Momma says that’s an even worser word to say.

   • 2022 October 14, Marina Hyde, “So farewell, Kwasi. Your career died so Liz Truss’s might live for at least 15 more minutes”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

     Things went from worse to worser after Truss’s Wednesday night appearance before the 1922, which you might know is that weirdo committee where they bang the desks and honk in-group gibberish like it’s Hogwarts for grownups and their house has just won a flying pensions-crashing match.

Adverb

worser

1. (archaic or nonstandard) worse.
   • c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene v]:

     Is he married?
     I cannot hate thee worſer than I do,
     If thou againe ſay yes

Usage notes

Common in the 16th and 17th centuries, but now found only in some regional dialects, and considered nonstandard.

References

• The Oxford English Dictionary, second edition.

Anagrams

• Rowser, rowers