worse (redirected from so much the worse for)

someone's bark is worse than their bite

if someone's bark is worse than their bite, they are not as unpleasant as they seem, and their actions are not as bad as their threats. I wouldn't be scared of her if I were you. Her bark's a lot worse than her bite.

See also: bark, bite

be a fate worse than death (humorous)

to be the worst thing that can happen to you. When you're 16, an evening at home with your parents is a fate worse than death.

See also: death, fate

be the worse for wear

1. if something is the worse for wear, it is in bad condition or damaged because it has been used a lot. This sofa is rather the worse for wear, but it will have to do until we can afford a new one.

2. someone who is the worse for wear is very tired or feeling ill. I drank far too much and woke up the next morning feeling rather the worse for wear.

See also: wear

for better or (for) worse

if a situation exists or happens for better or for worse, it exists or happens whether its results are good or bad. France has a new government, for better or for worse. We cannot deny that our childhood experiences affect us, for better, for worse.

See also: better

go from bad to worse

if a situation goes from bad to worse, it gets worse than it already was. The troubles started when John lost his job last March and things have gone from bad to worse ever since.

See also: bad, from

take a turn for the worse

if a situation or an ill person takes a turn for the worse, they become worse or more ill. Their relationship took a turn for the worse when he lost his job.

See also: take, turn

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a fate worse than death

a very bad or unpleasant experience. She felt that having to move to a small town was a fate worse than death.

Usage notes: often used in a humorous way to describe something that is not too serious: Spending a day with my aunt would be a fate worse than death.

See also: death, fate

for better or (for) worse

this could be good or bad. We now have a new government, for better or for worse.

Usage notes: said about things you think are not likely to be very good

See also: better

go from bad to worse

to become even more difficult or unpleasant. The Tigers lost their first game, 25 to 0, and then things went from bad to worse the following week when they lost by 38 points.

See also: bad, from

none the worse (for something)

not damaged or hurt despite something. It was cold and windy during the parade but we were none the worse for the weather.

Usage notes: often used in the form none the worse for wear in good condition despite hard use or a difficult experience: He seems to be none the worse for wear after his car wreck.

See also: none

the worse for wear

1. damaged from use. The old picnic table is looking the worse for wear, but it should last another year.

2. tired from hard work. After our dog had her puppies, she definitely looked the worse for wear.

See also: wear