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suck

v.
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ˈsək// UK //sˈʌk// suck Archaic Informal Slang Vulgar

v. to be very bad, annoying, or disappointing. You use this when you are unhappy with a situation or something's quality.

v. to be extremely unpleasant, unsatisfactory, or of poor quality. Highly informal and often considered mildly vulgar in professional contexts.


SIMPLE

It really sucks that we have to work this weekend.

CONTEXTUAL

The new update to the app really sucks because it crashes every time I try to save my work.

COMPLEX

While the cinematography was stunning, the dialogue and pacing of the film truly sucked, leaving the audience feeling bored and disconnected from the characters.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English souken, suken, from Old English sūcan (“to suck”), from Proto-West Germanic sūkan, from Proto-Germanic sūkaną (“to suck, suckle”), from Proto-Indo-European sewg-, sewk- (“to suck”). Cognate with Scots souke (“to suck”), obsolete Dutch zuiken (“to suck”), Limburgish zuken, zoeken (“to suck”). Akin also to Old English sūgan (“to suck”), West Frisian sûge, sûge (“to suck”), Dutch zuigen (“to suck”), German saugen (“to suck”), Swedish suga (“to suck”), Icelandic sjúga (“to suck”), Latin sūgō (“suck”), Welsh sugno (“suck”). Related to soak.

Usage

The verb is intransitive when used to mean 'to be bad'; it does not take a direct object in this sense.

Idioms19 entries

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