shabby
gb/ʃˈæbi/ us/ʃˈæbi/
B1
English
~ 7000
kopott, elhanyagolt, szégyenletes, aljas, méltatlan, sovány, csekély, nevetségesen kevés
B1
1
kopott
B1
elhanyagolt
B2
Usage pattern:
shabby [object] / be shabby
He arrived in a shabby jacket with holes at the elbows.
Kopott, könyökénél lyukas zakóban érkezett.
They live in a shabby apartment above the shop.
Az üzlet fölött egy elhanyagolt lakásban élnek.
The hotel looked shabby and neglected, so we decided not to stay there.
The seats on the bus were shabby and torn in several places.
After years of use, the sofa had become shabby and faded.
Learner examples
His shoes are very shabby and old.
A cipője nagyon kopott és régi.
We walked past a shabby house on the corner.
Elsétáltunk a sarkon álló elhanyagolt ház mellett.
The chairs in this café are shabby.
My coat is too shabby; I need a new one.
The carpet looks shabby after many years.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "cheap" when they mean "shabby". "Cheap" describes a low price, while "shabby" describes poor physical condition or appearance. Something can be cheap but not shabby, or shabby but not cheap (for example, an old, expensive coat that is now shabby).
Meaning
worn-out or in poor condition
Collocations
shabby clothes
|shabby coat
|shabby building
|shabby room
|shabby furniture
|old and shabby
Synonyms
worn-out (Focuses on damage from heavy or long use, often neutral in tone.)
|
run-down (Commonly used for buildings or areas that look old and poorly maintained.)
|
scruffy (More informal; often about messy or untidy appearance, especially for people or clothes.)
Antonyms
smart (Describes clothes or appearance that are neat, clean, and stylish.)
|
well-kept (Stresses that something is in good condition because it is cared for.)
Themes
appearance
|daily life
|housing
|objects
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Looking old and in bad condition because it has been used a lot or not cared for.
In visibly poor condition because of wear, age, or lack of care.
B2
2
Usage pattern:
shabby [treatment/behavior/trick]
It was shabby treatment to fire her by email after ten years of loyal work.
Az, hogy tíz évnyi odaadó munka után e-mailben bocsátották el, szégyenletes bánásmód volt.
Spreading lies about him was a pretty shabby thing to do.
Elég aljas dolog volt hazugságokat terjeszteni róla.
They played a shabby trick on the new student and then laughed at him.
I refused the offer because it came with some shabby conditions.
His shabby behavior during the negotiations damaged his reputation.
Learner examples
It was shabby to talk about her like that.
Aljas dolog volt így beszélni róla.
He got very shabby treatment from his boss.
Nagyon méltatlanul bánt vele a főnöke.
Playing that joke on her was a shabby thing to do.
They felt the company’s offer was shabby and not honest.
I think it is shabby to blame other people for your own mistake.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use this meaning of "shabby" to describe people directly (e.g., *"He is a shabby"*). In this sense, "shabby" normally modifies a noun like "treatment," "behavior," or "trick," or is used with a more specific description like "a shabby way to treat someone."
Meaning
unfair or mean in behavior
Collocations
shabby treatment
|shabby behavior
|shabby trick
|shabby way to treat [someone]
|shabby conduct
Synonyms
unfair (General word for not treating people equally or justly; less emotional than "shabby".)
|
mean (Informal; focuses on unkind or nasty behavior.)
Antonyms
fair (Emphasizes just and reasonable behavior toward others.)
|
decent (Stresses behavior that meets basic moral and social standards.)
Themes
relationships
|emotions
|morality
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Describing the way someone acts when they are not fair or kind to another person.
Describing behavior, treatment, or actions that are unfair, mean, or morally low.
C1
3
Usage pattern:
shabby [amount/sum/deal/excuse]
They offered her a shabby sum for such valuable work.
Nevetségesen kevés pénzt ajánlottak neki ilyen értékes munkáért.
Considering his experience, the salary they proposed was pretty shabby.
A tapasztalatához képest a felajánlott fizetés elég sovány volt.
After all those extra hours, the bonus was a rather shabby little amount.
The workers received a shabby deal in the final contract.
He gave a shabby excuse for not showing up to the meeting.
Learner examples
The company gave the staff a shabby bonus.
A cég sovány bónuszt adott a dolgozóknak.
For that hard job, this is a shabby salary.
Ilyen nehéz munkáért ez elég sovány fizetés.
They paid a shabby little amount for the car.
I think this is a shabby offer for so much work.
He made a shabby excuse for coming late.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this sense with the physical-condition sense and use it mainly with objects. Here, "shabby" often describes abstract nouns like "sum," "salary," "deal," or "excuse" to stress that they are not good enough in amount or quality.
Meaning
disappointingly small or low-quality
Collocations
shabby sum
|shabby little amount
|shabby excuse
|shabby deal
Synonyms
paltry (More formal; stresses that something is so small or unimportant that it seems almost worthless.)
|
measly (Informal and slightly humorous; suggests something is much less than you wanted or expected.)
Antonyms
generous (Suggests a large or kind amount, especially of money or help.)
|
decent (Colloquial; implies an amount or quality that is acceptable or reasonable.)
Themes
money
|work
|evaluation
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Too small or too low in quality, so that it feels disappointing or not good enough.
Disappointingly small in amount, or low in quality or status, especially compared with what is expected or deserved.
Grammar
Dictionary form
shabby
IPA
GB/ʃˈæbi/
US/ʃˈæbi/
Syllables & stress
shabby (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (shabby)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: shabby
- Comparative: shabbier
- Superlative: shabbiest
Word family
Forms
shabbier
adjective
shabbiest
adjective
Core family
shabbily
adverb
shabbiness
noun
Expressions
a shabby little [noun]
1/ə ʃˈæbi lˈɪtəl nˈaʊn/
fixed phrase
informal
contemptibly small or poor thing
A way to talk about something that is small or low in quality in a critical or unfriendly way.
Examples
- All they gave her for the job was a shabby little bonus.
- He lives in a shabby little flat at the edge of town.
shabby chic
1/ʃˈæbi ʃˈik/
fixed phrase
decor style with stylish worn look
A style of interior design that uses old or worn-looking furniture and objects in a pretty and stylish way.
Examples
- Their living room is decorated in a kind of shabby chic style, with painted wooden chairs and faded fabrics.
- She loves shabby chic and often buys second-hand furniture to repaint and reuse.
shabby treatment
1/ʃˈæbi tɹˈitmənt/
fixed phrase
unfair or unkind treatment
Unfair or unkind behavior toward someone, especially when they deserve better.
Examples
- She felt she had received shabby treatment from the company after many years of service.
- The fans complained about the shabby treatment they got at the stadium.