Scurvy

Quick meaning: Scurvy is an adjective meaning Of growths on plants: resembling scurf; scurfy.

Meaning

Of growths on plants: resembling scurf; scurfy.

More Meanings

1. Of a person or thing: disgustingly mean; contemptible, despicable, low.
2. Of the way someone is treated: poor, shabby.
3. (countable, figurative, derogatory) A contemptible or despicable person.
4. (uncountable, by extension, veterinary medicine, obsolete) A cattle disease, perhaps affecting the skin.
5. 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).
6. (uncountable, pathology) A disease caused by insufficient intake of vitamin C, leading to the formation of livid spots on the skin, spongy gums, loosening of the teeth, and bleeding into the skin and from almost all mucous membranes; (countable, obsolete) an occurrence of this disease.

Example Sentences

a scurvy knave a scurvy trick

Iſt not a ſcuruie ieſt, that a man ſhould ieſt himſelfe to death.

The Moore's abus'd by ſome outragious knaue: / Some baſe notorious knaue, some ſcuruy fellovv, […]

VVhat a py'd Ninnie's this? Thou ſcuruy patch: / I do beſeech thy Greatneſſe giue him blovves, […]

Word Forms

• scurvier
• scurviest
• scurvies

Synonyms for scurvy

Depending on context, synonyms include roynish, scabrous, reef, scabby, scabrate, scabrid.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include low, scummy, miserable, abject, low-down, contemptible.

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