Cycleracer Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 When I described someone was poorly to a mate he laughed and said whats that mean. I explained it meant he was ill or was'nt very well. Well I have never heard of poorly and laughed it off as though it did'nt exist. However he got out the dictionary and funny enough it was'nt in there. I have always addressed someone as being poorly if they are sick and can't understand why my mate thinks I'm making the meaning up. Is this an age thing, for example the younger generation don't say poorly or what as he is only 10 years younger than me. Does poorly mean the same to you or have you just not heard the saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 Makes perfect sense to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat1978 Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 We used to use the term, 'badly'. Dont hear that any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeP Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 I was born and brought up in a small town called Warsop in North Nottinghamshire. Poorly and badly were both terms used to describe illness or not feeling well. I seem to remember that as a kid I'd be 'poorly' but my dad would be 'badly'. Whther that was just family or some aspect of usage that depends upon the age of the sufferer I have no idea. I can't remember whether one was worse than the other - I don't think so, though if someone was elderley and 'poorly' then it usually meant that they weren't expected to last long. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igm1 Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 I can remember when I was younger I used to say that I was 'poorly' or someone else was 'poorly'. Now I never say it as it seems like a word younger children will say when someones ill or an older person will say when being sarcastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojoworking Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 It's obviously in use "dahn sarf" as well, because the Blur song You're So Great contains the line "Sad, drunk and poorly" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 buy your friend a bigger dictionary for xmas. poorly \Poor"ly\, a. Somewhat ill; indisposed; not in health. ``Having been poorly in health.'' --T. Scott. Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cycleracer Posted December 5, 2004 Author Share Posted December 5, 2004 Originally posted by Cyclone buy your friend a bigger dictionary for xmas. poorly \Poor"ly\, a. Somewhat ill; indisposed; not in health. ``Having been poorly in health.'' --T. Scott. Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. It is the Collins dictionary so it does'nt come any bigger than that. Well glad to see it does exist anyway even if its absent from his book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uniB Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 I think it's one of those words that will fade and disappear from general use. My mum used to say 'poorly' and my dad used to say 'badly'. They seem to have been replaced with 'ill' these days http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=poorly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazB Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 Another word that people from around the UK except here in Yorkshire have laughed at me for using, is mardy. When I used it on holiday in September, I was around cockneys, Scottish, Geordies.. Yet none of them knew what it meant! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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