lousy

[lou-zee]

adjective

lousier, lousiest 

1. infested with lice.

2. Informal.

   1. mean or contemptible.

      That was a lousy thing to do.

   2. wretchedly bad; miserable.

      a lousy job; I feel lousy.

lousy

/ ˈlaʊzɪ /

adjective

1. slang,  very mean or unpleasant

   a lousy thing to do

2. slang,  inferior or bad

   this is a lousy film

3. infested with lice

4. slang,  (foll by with)

   1. provided with an excessive amount (of)

      he's lousy with money

   2. full of or teeming with

Other Word Forms

• lousily adverb
• lousiness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of lousy¹

First recorded in 1350–1400, lousy is from the Middle English word lousi. See louse, -y ¹

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. lousy with, 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.

Example Sentences

“I came to the richest country in the world, so why are they drinking the lousiest coffee?”

From Los Angeles Times

"We want to help people be more accepting of our culture and to correct the idea that Chinese cuisine is 'lousy'," Mr Tao says.

From BBC

Especially a tough guy comedy that lets Neeson mock his lousy taste in roles.

From Los Angeles Times

Imagine my surprise when I looked up at the screen and saw the man, the myth, the really lousy “White Lotus” security guard himself in “Alien: Earth.”

From Salon

It’s embarrassing to see lousy pitching, bases loaded, and hitters scoring.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• awful 
• horrible 
• miserable 
• poor 
• rotten 
• second-rate 
• shoddy 
• terrible