Definition of badly off

badly offadjective

tệ lắm

/ˌbædli ˈɒf//ˌbædli ˈɔːf/

The origin of the phrase "badly off" can be traced back to the mid-1700s in England. At that time, the word "badly" was used as an adverb to describe actions or objects in a negative light. It was often used as an intensifier, such as "badly bruised" or "badly damaged." The word "off" was used in the late 1500s to mean "in a state of difficulty, disadvantage, or distress." It was originally a nautical term used to describe a ship that was making poor progress due to unfavorable conditions. The phrase "badly off" emerged as a combination of these two words. It was first recorded in written English in the 1820s and has since become a common expression used to describe someone or something that is in a state of trouble or misfortune. Today, the expression continues to be used in both written and spoken language, and is a widely recognized idiom in the English language.

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not having much money

không có nhiều tiền

Example:
  • We aren't too badly off but we can't afford a house like that.

    Chúng tôi không quá nghèo nhưng cũng không đủ khả năng mua một ngôi nhà như vậy.

Related words and phrases

not in a good situation

không ở trong tình trạng tốt

Example:
  • I've got quite a big room so I'm not too badly off.

    Tôi có một căn phòng khá lớn nên tình hình cũng không đến nỗi tệ.

  • Lots of people are far worse off than we are.

    Rất nhiều người còn có hoàn cảnh tệ hơn chúng ta nhiều.

Related words and phrases

Idioms

be badly off for something
(British English)to not have enough of something