Definition

1. 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

1. covered with scabs