Lewis & Short

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dētĕrĭor, ius, adj. comp. (sup. deterrimus, a um) [from an obs. adj. deter, from de, down; hence, lower, inferior, worse], worse, poorer, meaner (freq. and class.—for syn. cf.: malus, injustus, improbus; pravus, nequam, corruptus, perversus; and the compp. pejor, etc.).

  1. I. Of inanimate things: seges, Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 2, 5, 13: ruina rem non fecit deteriorem, haud scio an jam fructuosiorem, Cic. Att. 14, 11 fin.: so, vectigalia, * Caes. B. G. 1, 36, 4: muraena carne, Hor. S. 2, 8, 44: deterior ac decolor aetas, Verg. A. 8, 326: forma, Lucr. 4, 1275: mores, Plaut. Merc. 5, 1, 9: via, id. Trin. 3, 2, 54 et saep.: video meliora proboque, Deteriora sequor, Ov. M. 7, 21: cuncta aucta in deterius, Tac. A. 2, 82; 3, 10; id. H. 3, 13 al.
    Sup.: genus reipublicae ex bono in deterrimum conversum, Cic. Rep. 2, 26; so, genus, id. ib. 1, 42: finis, id. Lael. 16, 59: causa belli, Hor. S. 1, 3, 107: color, Verg. G. 3, 82: cogitare optima simul et deterrima, Quint. 12, 1, 4 et saep.
  2. II. Of persons: quo deteriores anteponantur bonis, Plaut. Poen. prol. 39; opp. melior, Cic. Phil. 13, 19; Quint. 2, 4, 21 al.; opp. optimus, Liv. 39, 27; opp. strenuior, Plaut. Ep. 3, 4, 10: vidi ego nequam homines, verum te neminem deteriorem, id. Bac. 5, 2, 61 et saep.: peditatu erat deterior, weaker, Nep. Eum. 3 fin.: infideli deterior, Vulg. 1 Tim. 5, 8.
    Sup.: homo deterrime et impudentissime, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 16; id. Tusc. 1, 33, 81.—dēterius, adv., worse, less: de male Graecis Latine scripta deterius, Cic. Fin. 1, 3, 8: nequi deterius huic sit quam quoi pessumest, Plaut. Capt. 3, 5, 80: valeo, Luccei. ap. Cic. Fam. 5, 14: olet herba, Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 19: spe nostra si placeant, id. S. 1, 10, 90.

dētĕrĭōro, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. [deterior], to make worse, to deteriorate (late Lat.), Claud. Mam. de Statu an. 1, 3 al.