nasty
- 01 B1 Intermediate
adj.very unpleasant to see, smell, or taste.
adj.physically repellent or highly offensive to the senses.
Simple“There was a nasty smell coming from the old fridge in the garage.”
In context“The hikers were forced to turn back after encountering a nasty stench emanating from the stagnant pools near the trail.”
Synonyms - 02 B1 Intermediate
adj.behaving in an unkind, spiteful, or rude way towards others.
adj.behaving with malice or spite; intentionally unkind in interpersonal interactions.
Simple“Don't be so nasty to your brother; he was only trying to help.”
In context“The critic was known for his nasty reviews, often attacking the actors' personal lives rather than their performances.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.dangerous, painful, or serious, especially regarding an injury or weather.
adj.serious, severe, or dangerous in nature; frequently used to describe injuries, illnesses, or weather conditions.
Simple“He had a nasty fall on the ice and had to go to the hospital.”
In context“The pilot decided to divert the flight to avoid a nasty storm front developing over the channel.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.difficult to deal with or solve.
adj.characterised by complexity or hidden dangers; difficult to navigate or resolve.
Simple“That was a nasty question in the exam that caught everyone by surprise.”
In context“The road has a nasty bend just after the bridge where many drivers lose control in the rain.”
- 05 C1 Advanced
adj.very good or impressive in a powerful way.
adj.formidable, highly skilled, or impressive; often used to describe a powerful technique or performance.
Simple“The pitcher has a nasty curveball that is almost impossible to hit.”
In context“The lead guitarist delivered a nasty solo that left the audience stunned by his technical proficiency.”
Synonyms - 06 C2 Proficiency
n.an unpleasant person or thing.
n.an informal reference to a person or thing perceived as unpleasant or harmful.
Simple“The horror movie was full of monsters and other nasties.”
In context“The software update was designed to protect the operating system from various internet nasties like malware and spyware.”
“In addition, a nasty stye has turned his left eye a gluey purple.”
“The drink was as nasty as it looked.”
From Middle English nasty, nasti, naxty, naxte (“unclean, filthy”), whence also Early Modern English nasky (“nasty”), of obscure origin. Probably from earlier Middle English naskty, naskedy, from Middle English nasked (“dirty, messy”) + -y, ultimately of North Germanic origin (comparable to Danish nasket (“dirty, foul, unpleasant”), Swedish naskot (“dirty, filthy”), Swedish naskig, naskug (“nasty, dirty, messy”)), themselves all probably related to Proto-Germanic hnaskuz (“tender, soft”). Likely doublet of nesh and nosh. Cognate with Scots nastie, nestie (“dirty, filthy”). Alternative theories have also been proposed, which include: * From Low German nask (“nasty”) + -y. Middle Dutch nestich, nistich ("nasty, dirty, unpleasant" > Modern Dutch nestig (“dirty, filthy, unclean; lazy, cranky”)), perhaps ultimately connected to the Scandinavian word above, or related to nest (“nest”). * From Old French nastre (“lowly, strange”), shortened form of villenastre (“infamous, bad”), from vilein (“villain”) + -astre (pejorative suffix), from Latin -aster. * Other suggestions include Old High German naz (“wet”), hardening of English nesh(y) (“soft”), or alteration of English naughty. * Modern use of the word is sometimes attributed to the popular and often derogatory 19th century American political cartoons of Thomas Nast, but the word predates him.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.