nasty

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   exasperatingly difficult to handle or circumvent

   a nasty problem

2. 2
   adj

   offensive or even (of persons) malicious

   in a nasty mood

3. 3
   adj

   Dirty, filthy.

   In such condition, there is no place for Industry; because the fruit thereof is uncertain: and consequently no Culture of the Earth; no Navigation, nor use of the commodities that may be imported by Sea; no commodious Building; no Instruments of moving, and removing such things as require much force; no Knowledge of the face of the Earth; no account of Time; no Arts; no Letters; no Society; and which is worst of all, continuall feare, and danger of violent death; And the life of man, solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short.

4. 4
   adj

   Contemptible, unpleasant (of a person).

   Jonathan kept staring at him, till I was afraid he would notice. I feared he might take it ill, he looked so fierce and nasty.

5. 5
   adj

   Objectionable, unpleasant (of a thing); repellent, offensive.

   ‘It's a nasty trade,’ said Mr. Limbkins, when Gamfield had again stated his wish.

6. 6
   adj

   Indecent or offensive; obscene, lewd.

   He said to Mr. Tallboy he thought the headline was a bit hot. And Mr. Tallboy said he had a nasty mind.

7. 7
   adj

   Spiteful, unkind.

   She had said: "I love the block button on Twitter. I don't know how people expect to send a nasty comment and not get blocked."

8. 8
   adj

   Awkward, difficult to navigate; dangerous.

   There was a nasty period during the First World War when the family's allegiance was called into question - not least because one of the Schroders had been made a baron by the Kaiser.

Etymology

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 theo…