1
general::
noun the worst VERB + WORST expect It doesn't matter what I say. My mother always expects the worst. | fear, suspect | be prepared for, prepare for Although all the votes have not yet been counted, the Democrats are preparing for the worst. | confirm I had not expected to do well in my exams, and the letter confirmed the worst. | be spared, escape Scotland seemed to have escaped the worst of the recession. | do your Let them do their worst (= be as difficult as they can)?we'll fight them every inch of the way. WORST + VERB be over He was still very ill, but the worst seemed to be over. PREP. at (sb/sth's) ~ At worst, the drug can be fatal. At its worst, bullying is a kind of torture. | through the ~ Her sister helped her through the worst of her illness. VERB + WORST bring out the worst in sb Pressure can bring out the worst in people. | get the worst of it He'd been in a fight and had obviously got the worst of it. | the worst that can happen Don't worry?the worst that can happen is that you'll get a fine.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary