Definition of for better or (for) worse
: whether good or bad things happen : no matter what happens We've made our decision and now we have to stick to it for better or worse.
What does for the worse mean?
If something changes or happens for the worse, it becomes more unpleasant or difficult: It looks like the weather is changing for the worse. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases.
Where does the phrase for better or for worse come from?
The term became famous through its presence in the marriage service of the Book of Common Prayer (1549), where bride and bridegroom each must pledge to hold by the other “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health.” This expression was derived from the still older Sarum Manual (ca.
