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nasty
nas·ty / ˈnastē/ • adj. (-ti·er , -ti·est ) 1. highly unpleasant, esp. to the senses; physically nauseating: plastic bags burn with a nasty, acrid smell. ∎ (of the weather) unpleasantly cold or wet: a cold, nasty day. ∎ repugnant to the mind; morally bad: her stories are very nasty, full of murder and violence. 2. (of a person or animal) behaving in an unpleasant or spiteful way: Harry was a nasty, foul-mouthed old devil | when she confronted him, he turned nasty. ∎ annoying or unwelcome: life has a nasty habit of repeating itself. 3. physically or mentally damaging or harmful: a nasty, vicious-looking hatchet. ∎ (of an injury, illness, or accident) having caused harm; severe: a nasty bang on the head. • n. (pl. -ties) (often nasties) inf. an unpleasant or harmful person or thing: bacteria and other nasties. DERIVATIVES: nas·ti·ly / -təlē/ adv.nas·ti·ness n. |
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Cite this article
"nasty." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "nasty." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-nasty.html "nasty." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-nasty.html |
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nasty
nasty something nasty in the woodshed a traumatic experience or a concealed unpleasantness in a person's background. The phrase comes from Stella Gibbons' comic novel Cold Comfort Farm (1932), in which Ada Doom's dominance over her family is maintained by constant references to her having ‘seen something nasty in the woodshed’ in her youth; the details of the experience remain unexplained.
See also cheap and nasty, a nasty taste in one's mouth. |
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "nasty." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "nasty." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-nasty.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "nasty." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-nasty.html |
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nasty
nasty filthy, dirty XIV; nauseous XVI; (of weather) foul, dirty XVII; offensive XVIII; illnatured XIX. Early vars. †naxty, †naxte, which with †naskie (XVII) suggest ult. derivation from an obscure base *nask- (*nax-), which appears also in Sw. dial. naskug, nasket dirty, nasty; see -Y1.
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T. F. HOAD. "nasty." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "nasty." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-nasty.html T. F. HOAD. "nasty." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-nasty.html |
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nasty
nasty(adj.nastic) The response of a plant organ to a non-directional stimulus (e.g. the opening or closing of flowers in response to changes in light intensity or temperature). The plant may respond by changes in cell growth or changes in turgor.
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MICHAEL ALLABY. "nasty." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL ALLABY. "nasty." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O14-nasty.html MICHAEL ALLABY. "nasty." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O14-nasty.html |
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nasty
nasty The response of a plant organ to a non-directional stimulus (e.g. the opening or closing of flowers in response to changes in light intensity or temperature). The plant may respond by changes in cell growth or changes in turgor.
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MICHAEL ALLABY. "nasty." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL ALLABY. "nasty." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O7-nasty.html MICHAEL ALLABY. "nasty." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O7-nasty.html |
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Nasty
Nasty Herts. Nasthey 1294. ‘(Place at) the east enclosure’. OE ēast + hæg, with N- from ME atten ‘at the’.
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A. D. MILLS. "Nasty." A Dictionary of British Place-Names. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. A. D. MILLS. "Nasty." A Dictionary of British Place-Names. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O40-Nasty.html A. D. MILLS. "Nasty." A Dictionary of British Place-Names. 2003. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O40-Nasty.html |
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nasty
nasty •batty, bratty, catty, chatty, Cincinnati, Dolcelatte, fatty, flattie, Hattie, natty, patty, ratty, Satie, Scarlatti, scatty, Tati, tattie, tatty
•faculty
•Alicante, andante, ante, anti, Ashanti, Bramante, Chianti, Dante, dilettante, Fante, Ferranti, infante, scanty, shanty (US chanty), spumante, vigilante, Zante
•Asti, pasty
•pederasty
•Amati, arty, Astarte, castrati, chapatti, clarty, coati, ex parte, Frascati, glitterati, Gujarati, hearty, illuminati, karate, Kiribati, lathi, literati, Marathi, obbligati (US obligati), party, tarty
•crafty, draughty (US drafty)
•auntie • nasty • contrasty
•amaretti, amoretti, Betti, Betty, confetti, cornetti, Donizetti, Getty, Giacometti, Hettie, jetty, machete, Marinetti, Nettie, petit, petty, Rossetti, Serengeti, spaghetti, sweaty, vaporetti, yeti
•hefty, lefty
•felty, sheltie
•penalty • specialty • empty
•al dente, aplenty, cognoscenti, divertimenti, lisente, plenty, portamenti, sente, twenty, twenty-twenty
•seventy • peasanty
•chesty, testy, zesty
•Ghiberti
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Cite this article
"nasty." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "nasty." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-nasty.html "nasty." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-nasty.html |
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