See worst comes to worst on Wiktionary
{
"etymology_text": "Originally in the form \"if the worst come to the worst\" with the subjunctive \"if it come to\" in the sense of \"if the worst possible outcome should become the worst possible reality\". Often used even today with the same two definite articles, and this is the only form recorded for British English in some dictionaries.",
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"coordinate_terms": [
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"word": "push comes to shove"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "2010, Cherie Priest, Dreadnought: A Novel of the Clockwork Century:",
"text": "“Worst comes to worst, we'll make it to Cleveland and we can set down there and wait things out.” Gordon Rand nearly sneered, “Worst comes to worst? We'll crash and die, isn't that closer to the worst end of the possibility spectrum?",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2014, Eric Drouant, Fatal:",
"text": "You aren't doing anything anyway. Worst comes to worst you can give her some money and send her on her way.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2015, James Abel, White Plague:",
"text": "Worst comes to worst ...” Eddie finished it. “Worst comes to worst, we try Dr. One's patented homemade miracle vaccine. Stops hair loss. Stops gout. Builds muscles. Kills flus.”",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2018, Clare London, With A Kick Collection 2:",
"text": "Worst comes to worst, Curtis says I can use his room.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2017, Crista Crown, Harper B. Cole, The Outcast Chronicles Bundle:",
"text": "You said a couple of them are predators? Well, worst comes to worst, they can shift and eat.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"If a possible worst-case scenario actually occurs."
],
"id": "en-worst_comes_to_worst-en-adv-OggnmuqD",
"links": [
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"(idiomatic) If a possible worst-case scenario actually occurs."
],
"synonyms": [
{
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"UK",
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"word": "the worst comes to the worst"
},
{
"word": "worse comes to worst"
},
{
"word": "bad comes to worst"
},
{
"word": "bad comes to worse"
},
{
"word": "considered incorrect by some: worse comes to worse"
}
],
"tags": [
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"not-comparable"
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "ba",
"lang": "Bashkir",
"roman": "his yuğında",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "һис юғында"
},
{
"code": "be",
"lang": "Belarusian",
"roman": "na blahi kanjec",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "на благі канец"
},
{
"code": "ca",
"lang": "Catalan",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "en el pitjor dels casos"
},
{
"code": "ca",
"lang": "Catalan",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "si passa el pitjor"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "dàbùliǎo",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "大不了"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "in het ergste geval"
},
{
"code": "eo",
"lang": "Esperanto",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "en la plej malbona okazo"
},
{
"code": "et",
"lang": "Estonian",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "kõige hullemal juhul"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "pahimmassa tapauksessa"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "si le pire devait arriver"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "dans le pire des cas"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "wenn alle Stricke reißen"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "wenn es zum Schlimmsten kommt"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "wenn es zum Äußersten kommt"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "schlimmstenfalls"
},
{
"code": "el",
"lang": "Greek",
"roman": "se eskhatē anánkē",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "σε ἐσχατη ἀνάγκη"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "a legrosszabb esetben"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "ha minden kötél szakad"
},
{
"code": "inh",
"lang": "Ingush",
"roman": "ca xulča dälča",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "ца хулча даьлча"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "nel peggiore dei casi"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "alle brutte"
},
{
"alt": "さいあくのばあい",
"code": "ja",
"lang": "Japanese",
"roman": "saiaku no baai",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "最悪の場合"
},
{
"code": "lv",
"lang": "Latvian",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "ļaunākajā gadījumā"
},
{
"code": "nb",
"lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "i verste fall"
},
{
"code": "nn",
"lang": "Norwegian Nynorsk",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "i verste fall"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "w najgorszym razie"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "w najgorszym wypadku"
},
{
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "na pior das hipóteses"
},
{
"code": "rm",
"lang": "Romansch",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "en il mender cas"
},
{
"code": "rm",
"lang": "Romansch",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "a la pira"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "na xudój konéc",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "на худо́й коне́ц"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "v xúdšem slúčaje",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "в ху́дшем слу́чае"
},
{
"code": "sk",
"lang": "Slovak",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "v najhoršom prípade"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "en el peor de los casos"
},
{
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "i värsta fall"
},
{
"code": "tt",
"lang": "Tatar",
"roman": "hiç yugında",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "һич югында"
},
{
"code": "tr",
"lang": "Turkish",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "en kötü ihtimalle"
},
{
"code": "tr",
"lang": "Turkish",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "daha kötüsü olursa"
},
{
"code": "tr",
"lang": "Turkish",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "çok gerekli olursa"
},
{
"code": "uk",
"lang": "Ukrainian",
"roman": "v krájnʹomu razi",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "в кра́йньому разі"
},
{
"code": "uk",
"lang": "Ukrainian",
"roman": "na xudýj kinécʹ",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "на худи́й кіне́ць"
},
{
"code": "uk",
"lang": "Ukrainian",
"roman": "v najhíršomu vypádku",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "в найгі́ршому випа́дку"
}
]
}
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"word": "worst comes to worst"
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"etymology_text": "Originally in the form \"if the worst come to the worst\" with the subjunctive \"if it come to\" in the sense of \"if the worst possible outcome should become the worst possible reality\". Often used even today with the same two definite articles, and this is the only form recorded for British English in some dictionaries.",
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"ref": "2010, Cherie Priest, Dreadnought: A Novel of the Clockwork Century:",
"text": "“Worst comes to worst, we'll make it to Cleveland and we can set down there and wait things out.” Gordon Rand nearly sneered, “Worst comes to worst? We'll crash and die, isn't that closer to the worst end of the possibility spectrum?",
"type": "quote"
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{
"ref": "2014, Eric Drouant, Fatal:",
"text": "You aren't doing anything anyway. Worst comes to worst you can give her some money and send her on her way.",
"type": "quote"
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"ref": "2015, James Abel, White Plague:",
"text": "Worst comes to worst ...” Eddie finished it. “Worst comes to worst, we try Dr. One's patented homemade miracle vaccine. Stops hair loss. Stops gout. Builds muscles. Kills flus.”",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2018, Clare London, With A Kick Collection 2:",
"text": "Worst comes to worst, Curtis says I can use his room.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2017, Crista Crown, Harper B. Cole, The Outcast Chronicles Bundle:",
"text": "You said a couple of them are predators? Well, worst comes to worst, they can shift and eat.",
"type": "quote"
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"If a possible worst-case scenario actually occurs."
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"(idiomatic) If a possible worst-case scenario actually occurs."
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"word": "the worst comes to the worst"
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"word": "worse comes to worst"
},
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"word": "bad comes to worst"
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"word": "bad comes to worse"
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"translations": [
{
"code": "ba",
"lang": "Bashkir",
"roman": "his yuğında",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "һис юғында"
},
{
"code": "be",
"lang": "Belarusian",
"roman": "na blahi kanjec",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "на благі канец"
},
{
"code": "ca",
"lang": "Catalan",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "en el pitjor dels casos"
},
{
"code": "ca",
"lang": "Catalan",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "si passa el pitjor"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "dàbùliǎo",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "大不了"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "in het ergste geval"
},
{
"code": "eo",
"lang": "Esperanto",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "en la plej malbona okazo"
},
{
"code": "et",
"lang": "Estonian",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "kõige hullemal juhul"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "pahimmassa tapauksessa"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "si le pire devait arriver"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "dans le pire des cas"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "wenn alle Stricke reißen"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "wenn es zum Schlimmsten kommt"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "wenn es zum Äußersten kommt"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "schlimmstenfalls"
},
{
"code": "el",
"lang": "Greek",
"roman": "se eskhatē anánkē",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "σε ἐσχατη ἀνάγκη"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "a legrosszabb esetben"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "ha minden kötél szakad"
},
{
"code": "inh",
"lang": "Ingush",
"roman": "ca xulča dälča",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "ца хулча даьлча"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "nel peggiore dei casi"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "alle brutte"
},
{
"alt": "さいあくのばあい",
"code": "ja",
"lang": "Japanese",
"roman": "saiaku no baai",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "最悪の場合"
},
{
"code": "lv",
"lang": "Latvian",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "ļaunākajā gadījumā"
},
{
"code": "nb",
"lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "i verste fall"
},
{
"code": "nn",
"lang": "Norwegian Nynorsk",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "i verste fall"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "w najgorszym razie"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "w najgorszym wypadku"
},
{
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "na pior das hipóteses"
},
{
"code": "rm",
"lang": "Romansch",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "en il mender cas"
},
{
"code": "rm",
"lang": "Romansch",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "a la pira"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "na xudój konéc",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "на худо́й коне́ц"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "v xúdšem slúčaje",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "в ху́дшем слу́чае"
},
{
"code": "sk",
"lang": "Slovak",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "v najhoršom prípade"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "en el peor de los casos"
},
{
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "i värsta fall"
},
{
"code": "tt",
"lang": "Tatar",
"roman": "hiç yugında",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "һич югында"
},
{
"code": "tr",
"lang": "Turkish",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "en kötü ihtimalle"
},
{
"code": "tr",
"lang": "Turkish",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "daha kötüsü olursa"
},
{
"code": "tr",
"lang": "Turkish",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "çok gerekli olursa"
},
{
"code": "uk",
"lang": "Ukrainian",
"roman": "v krájnʹomu razi",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "в кра́йньому разі"
},
{
"code": "uk",
"lang": "Ukrainian",
"roman": "na xudýj kinécʹ",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "на худи́й кіне́ць"
},
{
"code": "uk",
"lang": "Ukrainian",
"roman": "v najhíršomu vypádku",
"sense": "if a bad situation develops",
"word": "в найгі́ршому випа́дку"
}
],
"word": "worst comes to worst"
}
Download raw JSONL data for worst comes to worst meaning in All languages combined (8.9kB)
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable All languages combined dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-11-06 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-10-02 using wiktextract (fbeafe8 and 7f03c9b). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.