lousy

[lou-zee]

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adjective, lous·i·er, lous·i·est.

infested with lice.
Informal.
1. mean or contemptible: That was a lousy thing to do.
2. wretchedly bad; miserable: a lousy job; I feel lousy.

Idioms

lousy with, Slang. well supplied with or filled with, often to excess: Our city is lousy with bad drivers. I wish I were lousy with money like my boss.

Origin of lousy

First recorded in 1350–1400, lousy is from the Middle English word lousi. See louse, -y¹

Related formslous·i·ly, adverblous·i·ness, noun

Synonyms for lousy

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2a. shabby, nasty, crummy.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for lousy

poor, shoddy, terrible, second-rate, rotten, horrible, awful, miserable, base, contemptible, despicable, dirty, execrable, faulty, harmful, hateful, inferior, low, mean, outrageous

Examples from the Web for lousy

Contemporary Examples of lousy

Their intentions may be good, but their execution and insight are lousy.
Grief: The Real Monster in The Babadook
Tim Teeman
December 19, 2014
Thailand has had a lousy track record with functioning democracy for many decades.
‘The Hunger Games’ Stars Silent on Thai Protesters
Asawin Suebsaeng
November 21, 2014
Peter Shumlin has been doing a lousy job and voters turned against him, even though he outspent his opponent five to one.
What the Hell Happened in Vermont?!
Stuart Stevens
November 13, 2014
Not surprisingly, some around Barry Goldwater thought it was a lousy idea.
Remembering Reagan’s Defining Speech
Stuart Stevens
October 27, 2014
The Getaway Car is lousy with these throwaway lines and asides.
Donald E. Westlake, The Man With The Getaway Face
Malcolm Jones
October 25, 2014

Historical Examples of lousy

Was that lousy Bourguignon going to stop them from having a drink?
L'Assommoir
Emile Zola
Let them learn thus the price of mutiny in their lousy ranks.
The Sea-Hawk
Raphael Sabatini
"Hah, now you're being suspicious," I said, lousy with virtue.
Sorry: Wrong Dimension
Ross Rocklynne
"It's a lousy thing to do," cried Donnelly as he snapped off the set.
Rescue Squad
Thomas J. O'Hara
A lousy little piece of tin and glass is going to solve all the crimes.
Watchbird
Robert Sheckley

British Dictionary definitions for lousy

lousy

adjective lousier or lousiest

slang very mean or unpleasanta lousy thing to do
slang inferior or badthis is a lousy film
infested with lice
(foll by with) slang
1. provided with an excessive amount (of)he's lousy with money
2. full of or teeming with

Derived Formslousily, adverblousiness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for lousy

adj.

mid-14c., lousi, "infested with lice," from louse + -y (2). Figurative use as a generic adjective of abuse dates from late 14c.; sense of "swarming with" (money, etc.) is American English slang from 1843. Related: Lousiness.