Bad Sick
Bad sick means "very sick" or "seriously ill." In Southern and Appalachian speech, "bad" often acts as an intensifier - describing the degree, not the morality, of something.
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Hillbilly Dude Says...
You might hear somebody is 'bad off' or 'bad sick' if you're out in the country. Hillbilly Dude Says...
You might hear somebody is 'bad off' or 'bad sick' if you're out in the country. Pronunciation
[BAD sick]
/bæd sɪk/
/bæd sɪk/
Meaning & Usage
- Seriously Ill (adjective phrase)
Papaw:
He was bad sick with the flu last winter.
He was bad sick with the flu last winter.
Mamaw:
We near about lost him - doctor come twice.
We near about lost him - doctor come twice.- Feeling Poorly / Laid Up (adjective phrase)
Estel:
I was bad sick after that fair chili.
I was bad sick after that fair chili.
Elmer:
Told ya not to eat the red one.
Told ya not to eat the red one.★ Southerners often use "bad" for intensity: "bad tired," "bad lonesome," "bad cold." It softens "very" with plain, homey emphasis. ★
Origin and Etymology
Comes from older English usage of "bad" as an intensifier - preserved in Southern and Appalachian speech. Related forms appear in Scots-Irish and regional British dialects, which influenced mountain English.
Usage Notes
Common in rural and older Southern talk. "Bad sick" is understood instantly by locals but may sound informal elsewhere. "Real bad sick" adds extra weight and sympathy.