badly

adverb, worse, worst.

1. in a defective, incorrect, or undesirable way: The car runs badly.
2. in an unsatisfactory, inadequate, or unskilled manner: a vague, badly written letter; He paints badly.
3. unfavorably: His neighbors spoke badly of him. The weather turned out badly for the cruise.
4. in a wicked, evil, or morally or legally wrong way.
5. in a disobedient, naughty, or ethically or socially wrong way: He treats his parents badly.
6. very much; to a great extent or degree: a house badly in need of repair; to want something badly.
7. severely; direly: to be injured badly.
8. with great distress, resentment, regret, or emotional display: She took the news of her mother’s death badly.

adjective

9. in ill health; sick: He felt badly.
10. sorry; regretful: I feel badly about your reaction to my remark.
11. dejected; downcast.

Idioms

12. badly off. bad¹(def 41).

adverb worse or worst

1. poorly; defectively; inadequatelythe chair is badly made
2. unfavourably; unsuccessfully; unfortunatelyour scheme worked out badly
3. severely; gravelyhe was badly hurt
4. incorrectly or inaccuratelyto speak German badly
5. improperly; naughtily; wickedlyto behave badly
6. without humanity; cruellyto treat someone badly
7. very much (esp in the phrases need badly, badly in need of, want badly)
8. regretfullyhe felt badly about it
9. badly off poor; impoverished

adjective

10. (postpositive) Northern English dialect ill; poorly

adv.

c.1300, “unluckily;” late 14c., “wickedly, evilly; poorly, inadequately,” from bad + -ly (2).