scurvier

Adjective

scurvy (comparative scurvier, superlative scurviest)

1. (obsolete) Affected or covered with scurf (“skin disease causing flakes of skin to fall off”) or scabs; scurfy, scabby; also, of or relating to a skin disease causing scurf or to scurvy (noun sense 1).
   • Some wenches come vnlased, / Some hyswyues come vnbrased, / Wyth theyr naked pappes, / That flappes and flappes; / […] / A sorte of foule drabbes / All scuruy with scabbes: […]c. 1517 (date written; published c. 1545), John Skelton, “Here after Foloweth the Booke Called Elynour Rummynge. The Tunnyng of Elynour Rummyng per Skelton Laureat.”, in Alexander Dyce, editor, The...

   Synonyms:

   roynish, scabrous, reef, scabby, scabrate, scabrid, scald, scalled

2. (broadly, obsolete) Of growths on plants: resembling scurf; scurfy.
3. (archaic, figuratively) Of a person or thing: disgustingly mean; contemptible, despicable, low.
   • a scurvy knave a scurvy trick

   Synonyms:

   miserable, paltry, shabby, abject, filthy, base, beggarly, blameworthy, carrion, cheap

4. (archaic, figuratively) Of the way someone is treated: poor, shabby.

See all 7 meanings of scurvy