Meanings
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1
adj
poorly made, carelessly done, or inferior in quality
Inspectors condemned the contractor's shoddy workmanship and ordered the wall rebuilt.
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2
adj
disreputable or unfair in conduct or treatment
The tenants complained about the landlord's shoddy treatment of urgent repairs.
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3
noun
reclaimed wool fiber made by shredding old or waste woolen cloth
The mill blended shoddy with new wool to produce an inexpensive fabric.
Thesaurus
Etymology
The noun, recorded in the nineteenth century, names wool recovered by shredding old fabric; its origin is uncertain. The adjective developed from the inferior cloth and became especially associated with cheaply made uniforms during the American Civil War, then broadened to anything badly made or disreputable.