worsted

[ woo s-tid, wur-stid ]

/ ˈwʊs tɪd, ˈwɜr stɪd /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR worsted ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

firmly twisted yarn or thread spun from combed, stapled wool fibers of the same length, for weaving, knitting, etc.Compare woolen.

wool cloth woven from such yarns, having a hard, smooth surface and no nap.

adjective

consisting or made of worsted.

Nearby words

Origin of worsted

1250–1300; Middle English worsted(e), special use of Worstede Worstead (Old English Wurthestede), name of parish in Norfolk, England, where the cloth was made

Related formshalf-worst·ed, adjective

worst

[ wurst ]

/ wɜrst /

adjective, superl. of bad and ill.

bad or ill in the highest, greatest, or most extreme degree: the worst person.

most faulty, unsatisfactory, or objectionable: the worst paper submitted.

most unfavorable or injurious.

in the poorest condition: the worst house on the block.

most unpleasant, unattractive, or disagreeable: the worst personality I've ever known.

most lacking in skill; least skilled: the worst typist in the group.

noun

that which is worst.

adverb

in the most evil, wicked, severe, or disadvantageous manner.

with the most severity, intensity, etc.; in the greatest degree.

verb (used with object)

to defeat; beat: He worsted him easily.

Origin of worst

before 900; Middle English worste (adj., adv., and noun), Old English wur(re)sta, wyr(re)st, wer(re)sta (adj. and adv.); cognate with Old Norse verstr; see worse, -est¹

Can be confusedworst wurst

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for worsted

A protest made by the latter led to a war between the two states in which Athens was worsted.
Authors of Greece|T. W. Lumb
His teacher was sitting with her back to the door, arranging the worsted in the large, linen worsted-case.
The Grasshopper Stories|Elizabeth Davis Leavitt
Thus the best workers were driven out of England, and a stimulus was given to the Dutch worsted manufacture.
A Comprehensive History of Norwich|A. D. Bayne
A succession of crescendo taps at her door was at length rewarded by a drowsy-eyed apparition in bath-robe and worsted slippers.
Beatrice Leigh at College|Julia Augusta Schwartz

Thread a large tape needle with two pieces of worsted, as long as the two can be conveniently managed.
Hand-Loom Weaving|Mattie Phipps Todd

British Dictionary definitions for worsted

worsted

/ (ˈwʊstɪd) /

noun

a closely twisted yarn or thread made from combed long-staple wool

a fabric made from this, with a hard smooth close-textured surface and no nap

(modifier) made of this yarn or fabrica worsted suit

Word Origin for worsted

C13: named after Worstead, a district in Norfolk

worst

/ (wɜːst) /

adjective

the superlative of bad 1

adverb

in the most extreme or bad manner or degree

least well, suitably, or acceptably

(in combination) in or to the smallest degree or extent; leastworst-loved

noun

the worst the least good or most inferior person, thing, or part in a group, narrative, etc

(often preceded by at) the most poor, unpleasant, or unskilled quality or conditiontelevision is at its worst these days

the greatest amount of damage or wickedness of which a person or group is capablethe invaders came and did their worst

the weakest effort or poorest achievement that a person or group is capable of makingthe applicant did his worst at the test because he did not want the job

the worst

in the least favourable interpretation or view
under the least favourable conditions

if the worst comes to the worst if all the more desirable alternatives become impossible or if the worst possible thing happens

come off worst or get the worst of it to enjoy the least benefit from an issue or be defeated in it

verb

(tr) to get the advantage over; defeat or beat

Word Origin for worst

Old English wierrest; related to Old Frisian wersta, Old Saxon, Old High German wirsisto, Old Norse verstr

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 worsted

worsted

woolen fabric made from twisted yarn, late 13c., from Worstead (Old English Wurðestede), town in Norfolk where the cloth originally was made.

worst

adj.

Old English wyrresta, from Proto-Germanic *wers-ista- (cf. Old Saxon wirsista, Old Norse verstr, Old Frisian wersta, Old High German wirsisto), superlative of PIE *wers- "to confuse, mix up" (see worse). Phrase in the worst way (1839) is from American English sense of "most severely."

worst

"damage, inflict loss upon," c.1600, from worst (adj.). Related: Worsted; worsting.

Idioms and Phrases with worsted

worst

see at worst; get (have) the worst of it; if worst comes to worst; in the worst way. Also see under worse.

worsted

noun

adjective

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of worsted

worst

adjective, superl. of bad and ill.

noun

adverb

verb (used with object)

Origin of worst

Examples from the Web for worsted

worsted

noun

Word Origin for worsted

worst

adjective

adverb

noun

verb

Word Origin for worst

worsted

worst

worst

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