bad
EN
A term describing something that is not good, of poor quality, or morally wrong
The weather was so bad that we had to cancel our picnic.
The weather was so bad that we had to cancel our picnic.
Etymology
The word bad comes from Old English *bæddel*, which originally meant "bad, evil, worthless" and evolved over centuries to its current broad range of negative meanings.
Cultural Notes
In informal spoken English, bad can also be used as slang to mean "excellent or very cool", which is a reversed, ironic usage that is common in youth and pop culture contexts.
Memory Aid
Associate the short /bæd/ sound with the feeling of being 'bad' (not good): think of the first letter 'b' standing for 'below average', and the short vowel sound matches the quick, harsh feeling of something negative.
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