scabby
/'skæbi/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Covered with or consisting of scabs: Describes a surface, typically skin, that has formed or is covered with scabs—dry, rough crusts that form over a wound or sore during healing.
- Contemptible; mean: (Informal, chiefly British) Used to describe a person or action considered despicable, shabby, or stingy.
Usage and Examples
Describing a physical condition:
- The stray dog had a scabby patch of skin on its back.
- After the chickenpox, her skin was scabby for a few weeks.
Describing a contemptible quality (informal):
- That was a scabby trick to play on your friend.
- He's too scabby to buy a round of drinks for everyone.
Advanced Usage and Notes
- The informal, derogatory sense ("mean" or "contemptible") is more common in British English.
- When describing a surface, it can be used literally for skin or metaphorically for things that resemble scabs in appearance (e.g., on a wall).
Variants and Related Words
- Scab (noun): The crust that forms over a healing wound. (Verb): To act as a strikebreaker.
- Scabbiness (noun): The state or condition of being scabby.
Synonyms
- For "covered with scabs": crusted, scaly, sore.
- For "contemptible": despicable, mean, shabby, low, stingy.
Idioms and Phrases
- No common idioms are directly formed with "scabby." The word itself is often used in informal, descriptive phrases.
Adjective
- covered with scabs