SECOND-RATE
ADJECTIVES
1657 • PEDARY second-rate, inferior → obs.
1658 • MIDDLE-RATE mediocre; second-rate → obs.
1675 • FARANDINICAL of the nature of farandine (17th century cloth); hence, second-rate, worthless → obs.
.M18 • RANK second-rate, inferior, disgusting → sl.
………. • RANK-ASS second-rate, inferior, disgusting → sl.
..L18 • RAGGED of a person or object: second-rate, inferior → sl.
..19C • ADOBE Mexican; hence, second-rate, inferior → US sl., derogatory
.M19 • HALF-AND-HALF second-rate → sl.
………. • HALF-ARSE • HALF-ASS careless, ineffectual, inadequate, incompetent, second-rate; mediocre, insignificant, unsatisfactory → → sl.
………. • HOLE IN THE WALL second-class, inferior → sl., orig. US
1853 • ONE-HORSE small and insignificant; unimportant; second-rate, inferior → Amer. dial.
1859 • CAGMAG inferior, second-rate, spurious; unwholesome, decaying; coarse, worthless, rubbishy → Eng. dial.
1861 • ONE-HORSE of individuals: second-rate, petty; usually of politicians, minor officials → sl.
1863 • CHEESY inferior, second-rate → colloq.
1865 • HALF-ARSED • HALF-ASSED careless, inadequate, inferior, unsatisfactory, ineffectual, incompetent, second-rate → US sl.
1878 • BUM bad, unsatisfactory, second-rate → sl., orig. US
1878 • NO CHOP no class, second-rate → Aust. sl.
1879 • SHITTY unpleasant, disgusting; mediocre, second-rate → sl.
1888 • SNUFFY second-rate, inferior → Eng. dial.
1896 • NICKEL second-rate, inferior, trivial → US sl.
………. • PUNK poor, second-rate, inferior → colloq., orig. & chiefly US
..L19 • CONKY sub-standard, inferior, second-rate → sl.
………. • FLUNKY ignorant, second-rate → US sl.
………. • SHYPOO inferior; shoddy; second-rate → Aust. & NZ sl.
………. • TINHORN second-rate, inferior, superficially flashy → sl.
..20C • CHUMP unsophisticated, second-rate, provincial → sl.
………. • CHUMP-ASS unsophisticated, second-rate, provincial → sl.
………. • CHUMPISH unsophisticated, second-rate, provincial → sl.
………. • SCROUNGY inferior, second-rate, grubby → US sl.
1900 • LEMON useless; second-rate → US sl.
………. • PORKY second-rate, inferior → US sl.
1901 • NOT UP second-rate → Aust. sl.
1908 • BUSH-LEAGUE petty, mediocre, trivial, inconsequential, second-rate → US sl.
1910 • PORK-AND-BEAN(S) basic, unenterprising, second-rate → US sl.
1911 • RINKY-DINK second-rate; tasteless → sl., chiefly US
1915 • SMALL-TIME insignificant; trivial; worthless; second-rate, unimportant
1920 • CRONKY unsound, second-rate → sl.
………. • TINNY cheap, second-rate → sl.
1929 • OFF-BRAND second-rate, inferior → US
………. • ONE-LEGGED second-rate, inadequate → US sl.
1930 • RAGGEDY • RAGGETY • RAGIDY run-down, second-rate, dilapidated → African-American sl.
1933 • MINOR-LEAGUE second-rate, insignificant
1935 • CRUDDY bad, second-rate, of poor quality; crummy, lousy → sl.
1937 • UNDER THE ARM second-rate, inferior, bad → Brit. sl.
1940 • LOUSE second-rate → US sl.
1941 • COCKAMAMIE inferior, second-rate → US
1942 • GREASY-SACK poor, second-rate → Amer. dial.
………. • OF SORTS undistinguished, second-rate, barely adequate → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
1945 • BODGER of low quality; bad; inferior; second-rate; unsatisfactory → Aust. sl.
………. • DRONGO second-rate, worthless → Aust. sl.
1950 • MICKEY second-rate, corny → US sl.
1959 • BUSH second-rate, amateurish → US sl.
1960 • CHICKEN-PLUCKING second-rate, vulgar, insignificant → US sl.
………. • EXCREMENTAL unpleasant, disgusting; second-rate → euphemism for ‘shitty’
………. • FAGGOTY cowardly, useless, second-rate → sl.
………. • FARKAKTE • FERCOCKTA bad, unsatisfactory, second-rate → sl.
………. • HADDIT • HAD IT useless, second-rate → NZ sl.
………. • QUIFF second-rate, lightweight → US sl.
1962 • GUNGY second-rate, spoilt → sl.
1964 • FAGGOTY cowardly, useless, second-rate → sl.
1969 • NAFF second-rate, workaday → sl.
1970 • CACKY disgusting; contemptible; worthless; second-rate → sl.
………. • NIT-SHIT second-rate, insignificant, trivial → US sl.
………. • SHANK-ASS dirty, second-rate, unattractive, cheap-looking, ugly, promiscuous → sl., orig. African-American
………. • SHANKY dirty, second-rate, unattractive, cheap-looking, ugly, promiscuous → sl., orig. African-American
1975 • LOW-RENT second-rate; bargain-basement → colloq.
………. • SCANKY • SKANKY dirty, second-rate, unattractive, cheap-looking, ugly, promiscuous → sl., orig. African-American
1979 • GUNGEY • GUNGY second-rate, inferior, spoilt → sl.
1980 • DARK bad, inferior, unpleasant, second-rate, nasty → UK sl.
………. • WACK-ASS second-rate, phony, unsatisfactory → African-American sl.
………. • WACKED • WHACKED second-rate, phony, unsatisfactory → African-American sl.
1983 • BAG-BITING infuriatingly objectionable or second-rate → Amer. computers’ sl.
1984 • WACK • WHACK second-rate, inferior, phony, unsatisfactory, unacceptable, very bad → African-American sl.
1989 • POUND-SHOP cheap or inferior, second-rate → derogatory
1990 • ALLEY • ALLY second-rate → US students’ sl.
………. • NAPH second-rate, workaday → sl.
………. • PANTS rubbish, second-rate, inferior → sl.
………. • SCHWAG second-rate, inferior, bad → US students’ sl.
………. • SKETCHY second-rate → US students’ sl.
………. • TWO-DOLLAR second-rate → US sl.
1997 • PLAZZY second-rate → Liverpool, derogatgory
1998 • SHELL bad, second-rate → US students’ sl.
2000 • ASSY insignificant, second-rate, unimportant → African-American sl.
………. • BEAT-ASS second-rate → US sl.
2009 • ROPEY • ROPY inferior, poor, lousy, second-rate → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
INTERJECTIONS
..L19 • WHAT A BEANFEAST! a satirical remark intended to underline that the situation is in fact far from a ‘beanfeast’, but in fact second-rate, poor, etc. → sl.
NOUNS
..19C • CODGE-JOB a second-rate piece of work → US sl.
1950 • CLINKER something second-rate, inferior, esp. a performance → sl.
1963 • CHEESINESS a being inferior or second-rate → colloq., orig. US
1982 • BAGBITER a thing that is infuriatingly objectionable, second-rate, or the like → Amer. computers’ sl.
NOUNS, PERSON
1902 • VARNISH a second-rate person, one who is inadequate → UK society usage
1910 • PORK-AND-BEANER a second-rate person → US sl.
1922 • OLD GADGET a foolish, second-rate man → sl.
1929 • TANKER a second-rate person → sl.
1932 • HAM AND EGGER an average person; a person who is below par, a second-rate person → Amer. dial.
1947 • SCHLAPPER • SCHLEPPER • SCLEPPER an insignificant person; a second-rater → sl. orig. US
1950 • CLINKER a second-rate, worthless person → sl.
1970 • MOPERY a second-rate person → sl.
1982 • BAGBITER a person that is infuriatingly objectionable, second-rate, or the like → Amer. computers’ sl.
VERBS
1970 • BITE THE BONE to be disgusting, unpleasant, second-rate → US teen sl.
Lexicophilia 