badly

[bad-lee] /ˈbæd li/
adverb, worse, worst.
1.
in a defective, incorrect, or undesirable way:
The car runs badly.
2.
in an unsatisfactory, inadequate, or unskilled manner:
a vague, badly written letter; He paints badly.
3.
unfavorably:
His neighbors spoke badly of him. The weather turned out badly for the cruise.
4.
in a wicked, evil, or morally or legally wrong way.
5.
in a disobedient, naughty, or ethically or socially wrong way:
He treats his parents badly.
6.
very much; to a great extent or degree:
a house badly in need of repair; to want something badly.
7.
severely; direly:
to be injured badly.
8.
with great distress, resentment, regret, or emotional display:
She took the news of her mother's death badly.
adjective
9.
in ill health; sick:
He felt badly.
10.
sorry; regretful:
I feel badly about your reaction to my remark.
11.
dejected; downcast.
Idioms
12.
badly off. bad (def 47).
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English baddeli. See bad1, -ly
Can be confused
bad, badly (see usage note at bad; see usage note at the current entry)
Usage note
In the sense “very much,” badly is fully standard: He needs help badly. See also bad.
Examples from the web for badly
  • It is a certain effort to read a story, however touching, that is disconnected and badly related.
  • It occurs in badly nourished people, or in those who have become emaciated from any cause.
  • They were in many ways well treated, but they were never treated as equals, and they were sometimes treated badly.
  • Any corporation which seeks its profit in such fashion is acting badly.
  • Many small stinging bees were with them, which stung badly.
  • If matters go badly now, they will not always be so.
  • The metaphor of the perfect storm is badly overworked.
  • New initiatives to rein in costs and increase revenue are badly needed.
  • When males get together in groups, they often act badly.
  • There are a zillion good ways to start a book well, and even more ways to do it badly.
British Dictionary definitions for badly

badly

/ˈbædlɪ/
adverb worse, worst
1.
poorly; defectively; inadequately: the chair is badly made
2.
unfavourably; unsuccessfully; unfortunately: our scheme worked out badly
3.
severely; gravely: he was badly hurt
4.
incorrectly or inaccurately: to speak German badly
5.
improperly; naughtily; wickedly: to behave badly
6.
without humanity; cruelly: to treat someone badly
7.
very much (esp in the phrases need badly, badly in need of, want badly)
8.
regretfully: he felt badly about it
9.
badly off, poor; impoverished
adjective
10.
(postpositive) (Northern English, dialect) ill; poorly
Word Origin and History for badly
adv.

c.1300, "unluckily;" late 14c., "wickedly, evilly; poorly, inadequately," from bad + -ly (2).