lou
B2Informal
Definition
Meaning
of very poor quality, very bad or unpleasant.
Also can mean being abundantly supplied with something (usually undesirable), or feeling unwell.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Originally meant 'infested with lice', which is the root of its negative connotations. The informal 'abundantly supplied' sense (e.g., 'lousy with tourists') is common, especially in American English. Can be used for situations, objects, feelings, and people (though calling a person 'lousy' is strong criticism).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use it similarly, but the 'abundantly supplied' sense is more frequent and established in American usage. The adverbial use ('lousily') is rare in both.
Connotations
Equally negative and informal in both. Slightly more likely to be used for emphasis in AmE.
Frequency
More common in spoken than written English. Slightly higher frequency in AmE according to corpora.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
be lousyfeel lousybe lousy at somethingbe lousy with somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “lousy with something (AmE informal: full of something)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Informal critique: 'The sales figures are lousy this quarter.'
Academic
Avoided; too informal. Use 'poor', 'substandard', 'inadequate'.
Everyday
Common: 'I feel lousy today.', 'This wifi connection is lousy.'
Technical
Not used.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adverb
British English
- The team played lousily and deserved to lose. (RARE)
American English
- He treated her lousily. (RARE/INFORMAL)
adjective
British English
- The hotel had lousy reviews, so we cancelled.
- I've got a lousy headache.
- He's a lousy driver.
American English
- The park is lousy with squirrels in the spring.
- She felt lousy after the flight.
- That's a lousy deal.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The weather is lousy today.
- I feel lousy. I have a cold.
- It was a lousy film, so we left early.
- She got a lousy grade on her test.
- The service at the restaurant was absolutely lousy.
- He admitted he was lousy at keeping secrets.
- The report was lousy with factual errors and biased assumptions.
- Despite being lousy with cash, the company refused to invest in staff welfare.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a LOUSE (a parasite) – something infested with lice is disgusting and of poor quality, hence LOUSY.
Conceptual Metaphor
BAD IS INFESTED (derived from its literal origin). QUALITY IS HEALTH (a lousy thing is 'sick' or 'unhealthy').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Not related to Russian 'лузгать' (to crack seeds).
- False friend with Russian 'лужи' (puddles).
- Direct translation 'вшивый' is only for the literal meaning; for 'bad', use плохой, отвратительный, дрянной.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing spelling: 'lousy' not 'lousey'.
- Using in formal writing.
- Overusing as a generic negative adjective.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'lousy' used in its informal American sense meaning 'full of'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It's informal and strongly negative, so calling a person's work or a person 'lousy' can be offensive. It's not a swear word, but use with caution regarding feelings.
Both are informal negatives. 'Crappy' is more vulgar/slangy and implies worthless. 'Lousy' is slightly less vulgar and carries a sense of being inferior, unpleasant, or (originally) infested.
Generally, no. It is too informal and emotive. Use 'poor', 'unsatisfactory', 'subpar', or 'inadequate' instead.
British English understands it, but alternatives like 'teeming with', 'swarming with', 'full of', or 'crawling with' (for living things) are equally or more common.
Explore