nasty

Etymology

From Middle English nasty, nasti, naxty, naxte (“unclean, filthy”), whence also Early Modern English nasky (“nasty”), of uncertain origin. Cognate with Scots nastie, nestie (“dirty, filthy”). Could be from or cognate with Old Norse *nask- + -y or Low German nask (“nasty”) + -y. Compare Swedish naskig, naskug (“nasty, dirty, messy”), Swedish and Danish nasket (“dirty, foul, unpleasant”). Alternative theories include: * From Old French nastre (“bad, strange”), shortened form of villenastre (“infamous, bad”), from vilein (“villain”) + -astre (pejorative suffix), from Latin -aster. * Middle Dutch nestich, nistich ("nasty, dirty, unpleasant" > Modern Dutch nestig (“dirty, filthy, unclean”)), perhaps ultimately connected to the Scandinavian word above. * Other suggestions include Old High German naz (“wet”), hardening of English nesh(y) (“soft”), or alteration of English naughty. * Modern use of the word is sometimes attributed to the popular and often derogatory 19th century American political cartoons of Thomas Nast, but the word predates him.

adj

1. (now chiefly US) Dirty, filthy.
   In such condition, there is no place for Industry; because the fruit thereof is uncertain: and consequently no Culture of the Earth; no Navigation, nor use of the commodities that may be imported by Sea; no commodious Building; no Instruments of moving, and removing such things as require much force; no Knowledge of the face of the Earth; no account of Time; no Arts; no Letters; no Society; and which is worst of all, continuall feare, and danger of violent death; And the life of man, solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short. 1651, Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan
   I really don't have any friends at school Mama Mia. They talk about me all the time. They say my hair's nappy and my clothes are nasty. 2006, Marie Fontaine, The Chronicles of my Ghetto Street Volume One, page 156
2. Contemptible, unpleasant (of a person).
3. Objectionable, unpleasant (of a thing); repellent, offensive.
4. Indecent or offensive; obscene, lewd.
   He said to Mr. Tallboy he thought the headline was a bit hot. And Mr. Tallboy said he had a nasty mind. 1933, Dorothy L Sayers, Murder Must Advertise
   We want threesomes, blowjobs, and orgies. That's just the way it is. We want the good girl who's nasty in bed. 2009, Okera H, Be Your Priority, Not His Option, Mill City Press, published 2009, page 45
5. Spiteful, unkind.
   She had said: "I love the block button on Twitter. I don't know how people expect to send a nasty comment and not get blocked." 3 Jun 2012, The Guardian
6. (chiefly UK) Awkward, difficult to navigate; dangerous.
   There was a nasty period during the First World War when the family's allegiance was called into question - not least because one of the Schroders had been made a baron by the Kaiser. 5 Aug 2007, The Observer
7. (chiefly UK) Grave or dangerous (of an accident, illness etc.).
   Moving into the middle ages, William the Conqueror managed to rout the English and rule the country, then see off numerous plots and assassination attempts, before his horse did for him in a nasty fall, killing him at 60. 2 Mar 2012, James Ball, The Guardian
8. (slang, chiefly US) Formidable, terrific; wicked.

noun

1. (informal) Something nasty.
   Processed foods are full of aspartame and other nasties.
   This video game involves flying through a maze zapping various nasties.
2. (euphemistic, slang, preceded by "the") Sexual intercourse.
3. A video nasty.
   In this way, it is hoped that the nasties will be dealt with, and the remainder regularized. 1984, ThirdWay, volume 7, number 5, page 17
   Jones evokes the nasties discursively to brand the Splat Pack as 'authentic outlaws'. 2014, mark Bernard, Selling the Splat Pack: The DVD Revolution and the American Horror Film