nasty

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[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

Alteration of earlier nasky (nasty), probably of North Germanic origin, akin to Swedish naskug (nasty, dirty), Low German nask (nasty), Swedish snaskig (dirty, messy).

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Adjective

nasty (comparative nastier, superlative nastiest)

  1. Disgusting; physically repellent.
    There's a nasty smell coming from the boiler room.
  2. Indecent or offensive.
    There was a nasty message scrawled over the wall.
  3. Malicious or spiteful.
    He tells nasty lies.
    She's a nasty woman - she hasn't got an ounce of good in her.
  4. Very unpleasant.
    It was a nasty night to venture out.
    A nasty way to die.
    • 1651, Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan: or, The matter, forme & power of a commonwealth, ecclesiasticall and civill:
      In such condition, there is no place for Industry; because the fruit thereof is uncertain: and consequently no Culture of the Earth; no Navigation, nor use of the commodities that may be imported by Sea; no commodious Building; no Instruments of moving, and removing such things as require much force; no Knowledge of the face of the Earth; no account of Time; no Arts; no Letters; no Society; and which is worst of all, continuall feare, and danger of violent death; And the life of man, solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short,
  5. Grave or dangerous.
    The cyclist had a nasty accident.

[edit] Noun

nasty (plural nasties)

  1. Something nasty.
  2. (euphemistic, preceded by "the") Sexual intercourse.

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Translations

[edit] Anagrams

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