badly: Meaning and Definition of

bad•ly

Pronunciation: (bad'lē), [key]
— adv., adj. worse, worst,
—adv.
  1. in a defective, incorrect, or undesirable way: The car runs badly.
  2. in an unsatisfactory, inadequate, or unskilled manner: a vague, badly written letter; He paints badly.
  3. unfavorably: His neighbors spoke badly of him. The weather turned out badly for the cruise.
  4. in a wicked, evil, or morally or legally wrong way.
  5. in a disobedient, naughty, or ethically or socially wrong way: He treats his parents badly.
  6. very much; to a great extent or degree: a house badly in need of repair; to want something badly.
  7. severely; direly: to be injured badly.
  8. with great distress, resentment, regret, or emotional display: She took the news of her mother's death badly.
  9. See(def. 47).
—adj.
  1. in ill health; sick: He felt badly.
  2. sorry; regretful: I feel badly about your reaction to my remark.
  3. dejected; downcast.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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