- in a bad way
- in bad shape & in a bad way1. Lit. injured or debilitated in any manner. •
Fred had a little accident, and he's in bad shape.
•Tom needs exercise. He's in bad shape.
2. pregnant. •Jill's in bad shape again, I hear.
•Yup, she's in bad shape all right—about three months in bad shape.
3. Fig. Inf. intoxicated. •Two glasses of that stuff and I'm in really bad shape.
•Fred is in bad shape. I think he's going to toss his cookies.
* * *{adv. phr.}, {informal} In trouble or likely to have trouble. * /If you have only those two girls to help you, you are in a bad way./ * /Jerry has written only one sentence of his term paper that is due tomorrow, and he knows he is in a bad way./ * /Mrs. Jones has cancer and is in a bad way./ * /A new supermarket opened across the street, and the Peters' grocery business was soon in a bad way./
Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.