Worse came to worst?

DeadlyAccurate

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Anyone know which is correct?

If worse came to worst?
If worst came to worst?
If worse came to worse?

("Worst" starts to look funny after you type it a few times.)
 

Jamesaritchie

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worse

Anyone know which is correct?

If worse came to worst?
If worst came to worst?
If worse came to worse?

("Worst" starts to look funny after you type it a few times.)

None of the above. I know people use this expression, but it makes no sense at all. It's like saying if red comes to red, or if gangrene comes to gangrene.

One side is the same as the other. There is no change.

The only way it makes sense is if you write "If bad comes to worse/worst."
 

Sage

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How does "if worse comes to worst" makes less sense than "if bad comes to worse/worst"? Both are going from something that is not as bad to something that is... well, worse.
 

absitinvidia

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"if worst comes to worst."

At least, that's what my dictionary says.
 

Thump

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I think it's "worse come to worst". There is a sort of suite in there IMO. Worst is erm... worse than worse... therefore you're just going up the scale of badness (yeah, I know, not a word.

It's like saying "if red comes to redder" which, while not being an expression per se, I think works because there is a progression for the worse.

Get me? :D
 

arrowqueen

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I'm with absitinvidia.

I've always known it as: 'If worst comes to worst.' and assumed it meant 'If the worst (possibility) comes true and turns into the worst (reality.)'
 

Sage

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It's like saying "if red comes to redder" which, while not being an expression per se, I think works because there is a progression for the worse.
"If pink comes to red"? ;)
 

Silver King

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You should just say, "If worst comes to worst, then that is the worstest state you can ever worstly assume."
 

Judg

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How about "as best as you can". I see/hear it all the time and it drives me nuts. Best is a superlative, not a comparative, so I'm assuming the expression is incorrect. Or is it one of those sayings that has become consecrated through usage, although technically not correct? Personally, I stick to "the best I can".

Yup, anal.
 

Cat Scratch

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I've always known it as "if worse comes to worst." And it isn't redunant, because it's saying "if an already worse situation reaches the absolute worst point it could reach." Makes sense to me.
 

Mud Dauber

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Jamesaritchie

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How does "if worse comes to worst" makes less sense than "if bad comes to worse/worst"? Both are going from something that is not as bad to something that is... well, worse.

Because worse and worst are very nearly the same thing. Bad and worst are not the same thing.

Besides, it sounds really horrible. It's just not good writing.

In college, we were taught the original saying is actually, "That is bad, this is worse."

From bad to worse makes sense. From worse to worst doesn't make sense, and sounds silly, to boot.
 

Sandi LeFaucheur

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Because worse and worst are very nearly the same thing. Bad and worst are not the same thing.

Besides, it sounds really horrible. It's just not good writing.

In college, we were taught the original saying is actually, "That is bad, this is worse."

From bad to worse makes sense. From worse to worst doesn't make sense, and sounds silly, to boot.

You're going to argue with Fielding and Dickens? Don't know if I'd care to tell either gent they couldn't write.
 

FloVoyager

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The way I heard it is: Bad came to worse, and then worse came to worst.

It's a figure of speech. It may not be "correct," but we know what it means.

How are you using it? Maybe putting it in context would help.
 

pdr

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Not sure...

but it may be an American v. Standard English thing.

'If the worst comes to the worst...' is what I've always known and read.

Meaning, as Arrowqueen said, 'if the worst possibility eventuates then...'
 

Judg

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I love this forum. I am being out-analed. :D And how's that for a neologism?

Idiomatic expressions don't have to be logical. And if it really bothers you, just rewrite the sentence.