measly

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Related to measly: contemptibly, measly pork

mea·sly

(mēz′lē)

adj. mea·sli·er, mea·sli·est

1. Infected with measles.

2. Slang Contemptibly small; meager: gave the waiter a measly tip.

[Sense 2, from the low quality and unhealthiness of pork infected by porcine measles.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

measly

(ˈmiːzlɪ)

adj, -slier or -sliest

1. informal meagre in quality or quantity

2. (Veterinary Science) (of meat) measled

3. (Pathology) having or relating to measles

[C17: see measles]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

mea•sly

(ˈmi zli)

adj. -sli•er, -sli•est.

1. contemptibly small: a measly salary.

2. infected with measles.

3. pertaining to or resembling measles.

[1685–95]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Adj.

measly - contemptibly small in amount; "a measly tip"; "the company donated a miserable $100 for flood relief"; "a paltry wage"; "almost depleted his miserable store of dried beans"

paltry, miserable

meager, meagerly, meagre, scrimpy, stingy - deficient in amount or quality or extent; "meager resources"; "meager fare"

measly

adjective meagre, miserable, pathetic, paltry, mean, poor, petty, beggarly, pitiful, skimpy, puny, stingy, contemptible, scanty, miserly, niggardly, ungenerous, mingy (Brit. informal), snoep (S. African informal) The average bathroom measures a measly 3.5 metres.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

measly

adjective

1. Slang. Conspicuously deficient in quantity, fullness, or extent:

exiguous, meager, poor, puny, scant, scanty, skimpy, spare, sparse, stingy, thin.

2. Slang. Contemptibly unimportant:

inconsiderable, negligible, niggling, nugatory, paltry, petty, picayune, piddling, small, small-minded, trifling.

Idiom: of no account.

Translations

mesquin

misero

measly

[ˈmiːzlɪ] ADJ (measlier (compar) (measliest (superl))) → miserable, mezquino

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

measly

[ˈmiːzli] adj → minable

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

measly

adj (+er) (inf) → mick(e)rig (inf), → poplig (inf)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

measly

[ˈmiːzlɪ] adj (-ier (comp) (-iest (superl))) (fam) → misero/a, miserabile

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

References in classic literature ?

"Measly skunk!" he panted; "a-campin' on my trail an' lettin' me do the work, an' then shootin' me in the back!"

View in context

"For 'Eving's sake don't get bit and go mad by any measly pi-dog.

View in context

The veteran off-spinner grabbed 3-19 while Wasim Ali claimed 3-25 to dismiss Momin Seeds for a measly 83 in 17.2 overs.

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"We can no longer rely on the same regional wage boards which have only ensured that wages are measly and barely catching up with the nonstop price hikes," she said.

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Llaban, who paid her SSS contributions as a self-employed individual, has been receiving a measly P2,200 in SSS pension per month after retirement.

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Vice President Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo yesterday expressed her dismay at the "mockery of the justice system," as well as the "measly" P150,000 bail posted by former first lady and Ilocos Norte representative Imelda Marcos for her temporary freedom from the custody of the Sandiganbayan.

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In reply, Go Petroleum was bundled out for a measly total of 110 runs in 16.3 overs.

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A UNION representing Game Of Thrones security workers here has hit out after they were offered a "measly" 8p pay increase.

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period, Eddie Edwards, the former SLC enforcement chief, raised $60k - almost four times the amount raised by opponent Andy Sanborn, the senator from Bedford, who raised over $15k, which almost looks measly in this day and age of unbridled political dough.

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But, in the final episode of the fascinating and richlyentertaining series A House Through Time, (BBC2, Thursday), presenter David Olusoga told us that the house was sold to a property company in 1971 for a measly PS620 - which didn't seem so measly when we learned Liverpool Housing Trust bought it in 1976 for PS400!

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This is a measly one percent higher than 2016, but is "virtually unchanged" from 1998.

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To cut a long story short, my father, who I cared for during terminal illness of liver/bowel cancer and who sadly passed away last September had to - or rather I had to - pay back the measly amount of PS220 back to the department for a last overpayment of his pension.