Worsen v.

[f. WORSE a. + -EN⁵ 1. Cf. LESSEN v.

  The word is common in dialect (see Eng. Dial. Dict.) and was reintroduced to literature c. 1800–30 (by writers like Southey and De Quincey) as a racy vernacular substitute for deteriorate and the like.

  1.  trans. To make worse; to impair, vitiate, cause to deteriorate.

a. 1225.  [see WORSE v. 2].

c. 1450.  Mirk’s Festial, 112. Tymes byn changet, men byn worsont.

1533.  trans. Erasm. Com. Crede, 171 b. Such persons which by crafte done appayre and worsen the commune coyne.

1641.  Milton, Reform., I. Wks. 1851, III. 10. It is still Episcopacie that … worsens and sluggs the most learned, and seeming religious of our Ministers.

1644.  Digby, Nat. Soul, x. § 11. 432. A … state, where she can neyther be bettered or worsened.

c. 1647.  Feltham, Resolves, II. xiii. (1661), 205. Life in it self is a Blessing: And it is not worsened by being long.

1670.  Brooks, Wks. (1867), VI. 239. The righteous are signally sanctified by fiery dispensations, but the wicked are signally worsened by the same dispensations.

1806.  W. Taylor, in Ann. Rev., IV. 251. If effeminacy could become the attribute of a whole nation, it would be proper to institute societies for worsening the condition of the poor.

1807.  Southey, Espriella’s Lett. (1808), II. 357. Methodism … has worsened whatever it has altered. Ibid. (1816), Ess. (1832), I. 172. The manufacturer worsened his wares, the landholder increased his rents. Ibid. (1832), Penins. War, III. 703. Men whose nature, originally bad, had been worsened by their way of life.

1835.  Carlyle, in Froude, Life in London (1884), I. i. 19. To ask able editors to employ you will not improve but worsen matters.

1853.  De Quincey, Autobiogr. Sk., ii. Wks. 1862, XIV. 93. Their case was certainly not worsened by being booked for places in the grave.

1870.  Morris, Earthly Par., IV. 40. There sat a woman all alone Whom some ten years would make a crone, Yet would they little worsen her.

1906.  Spectator, 30 June, 1043/2. Irrelevance and confusion are worsened, not bettered, when advanced under the cloak of a distinguished reputation.

  b.  spec. To inflict loss upon (a person, locality) in respect of real property (see WORSEMENT).

1894.  Times, 4 April, 6/2. Every man who was worsened having to be compensated before he was turned out.

1894.  Daily News, 21 June, 2/3. The construction of these thoroughfares had worsened Wardour-street and other streets through diversion of the traffic.

  c.  To represent (a thing) as worse than it is; to depreciate.

1885.  Jean Ingelow, Perdita, 66. I have worsened life, I have wronged the world.

1885.  Gladstone, in Times, 28 April, 7/4. The policy which is necessary in the existing circumstances, which I shall say nothing to exaggerate or worsen, is of necessity a policy of action in the East.

  d.  refl. To make oneself worse or (dial.) worse off.

1828.  Carr, Craven Gloss., s.v., I will not worsen mysell.

1860.  Pusey, Min. Proph., 167. Moab and Ammon chose them gods like themselves, and worsened themselves by copying these idols of their sinful nature.

1864.  Kingsley, Water of Life (1879), iv. 51. They feel that they have weakened and worsened themselves thereby.

1866.  Geo. Eliot, F. Holt, v. That’s how the working men are left to foolish devices, and keep worsening themselves.

  2.  intr. To become worse, deteriorate.

1795.  Wordsw., in Mem. (1851), I. 86. I am still much engaged with my sick friend; and sorry am I to add that he worsens daily.

1823.  De Quincey, The Dice, Wks. 1862, X. 325. Next day Schroll was in a violent fever…. On hearing this report, Schroll rapidly worsened.

1829.  Southey, Sir T. More (1831), II. 183. It is the nature of man to worsen if he be left to himself.

1839.  Carlyle, Chartism, ii. (1858), 9. If life last longer … the general condition of the poor must be bettering instead of worsening.

1861.  Beresf. Hope, Eng. Cathedr. 19th C., v. 184. However the world may mend or worsen.

1880.  Miss Broughton, 2nd Thoughts, II. III. vi. 226. The weather has again changed and worsened.

1882.  Morris, Hopes & Fears for Art, iv. 119. Whether the times better or worsen.

  Hence Worsened ppl. a.; Worsening vbl. sb. and ppl. a.

  (a)  1830.  Southey, Lett. to Allan Cunningham, 4 March, in Life (1850), VI. 89. The portrait … is a worsened copy of ‘Fitzbust the Evangelical.

1875.  A. J. Ellis, trans. Helmholtz’ Sensat. Tone, 783. Skhismic Intonation exaggerates the errors of the Thirds in Bosanquet’s, of which it is simply a worsened form.

1888.  Jewish Chron., 17 Feb., 11/2. Even this worsened condition is disputed by some eminent authorities.

  (b)  1831.  Southey, Lett. (1856), IV. 250. To the serious injury of his health, and even to the worsening of his temper.

1837.  Carlyle, Fr. Rev., II. V. i. Such … desperate hope that worsening of the bad might the sooner end it and bring back the good.

1876.  Geo. Eliot, Dan. Der., xix. The ten or twelve years since the parting had been time enough for much worsening.

1887.  Athenæum, 29 Jan., 153/3. The steady worsening of social conditions.

  (c)  1858.  Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., IX. x. (1873), III. 173. Does not reach Potsdam till the 14th September, and then in a weak, worsening, and altogether dangerous condition.

1891.  G. A. Smith, in Robert W. Barbour (1893), 425. A very large number of worsening or desperate cases [of drunkenness].