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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Poorly off

Poorly \Poor"ly\, adv.

  1. In a poor manner or condition; without plenty, or sufficiency, or suitable provision for comfort; as, to live poorly.

  2. With little or no success; indifferently; with little profit or advantage; as, to do poorly in business.

  3. Meanly; without spirit.

    Nor is their courage or their wealth so low, That from his wars they poorly would retire.
    --Dryden.

  4. Without skill or merit; as, he performs poorly.

    Poorly off, not well off; not rich.

Usage examples of "poorly off".

Further it seemed likely the merchant was not as poorly off as might have been supposed.

She had been widowed not long before, and she was childless and poorly off.

For instance, even the most poorly off humans on Aurora are better off than Earth's aristocrats, but they are dispossessed with respect to Aurora's aristocrats, and it is with the masters of their own world that they compare themselves.

For instance, even the most poorly off humans on Aurora are better off than Earths aristocrats, but they are dispossessed with respect to Auroras aristocrats, and it is with the masters of their own world that they compare themselves.

For instance, even the most poorly off humans on Aurora are better off than Earth’.

A man with a good wife is the luckiest of God's creatures, and one without must be among the most miserable, I think, the only true blessing of their lives that they don't know how poorly off they are.