badly

Meanings

1. 1
   adv

   with unusual distress or resentment or regret or emotional display

   they took their defeat badly

2. 2
   adv

   without skill or in a displeasing manner

   The sub-par author writes badly.

3. 3
   adv

   to a severe or serious degree

   fingers so badly frozen they had to be amputated

4. 4
   adv

   with great intensity (`bad' is a nonstandard variant for `badly')

   the injury hurt badly

5. 5
   adv

   in a disobedient or naughty way

   They behaved badly in school.

6. 6
   adv

   evilly or wickedly

   We treated our parents badly on occasion.

7. 7
   adv

   In a bad manner.

   Things are going badly for her: she did badly in her exams owing to a badly designed studying schedule.

8. 8
   adv

   Very much; to a great degree.

   I want it so badly.

Etymology

From Middle English badly, baddely, baddeliche, equivalent to bad + -ly.