nasty habit
9
3.3
- noun
:
mal hábito
- They have a nasty habit of exploding in your face.
- a really nasty habit
- picked up a nasty habit
- get a nasty habit
Emotions that haven't been acknowledged have a nasty habit of stirring our conscience, demanding to be heard.
- Emotions that haven't been acknowledged have a nasty habit of stirring our conscience, demanding to be heard.
Examples
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It's a nasty habit.
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You have a nasty habit of sticking your nose in where it's not wanted.
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You develop some nasty habits.
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It's a nasty habit anyway.
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You have a nasty habit of surviving.
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It is a nasty habit.
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That's a nasty habit you have.
Fiction book (2002) -
They have a nasty habit of thinking they are the best.
Blog text (33) -
Tobacco's a nasty habit, Sheriff.
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When I was a little girl, I had a nasty habit of not cleaning up my room.
Synonyms
630
1.0
A regular action you do often without thinking
A regular way that a person behaves often without thinking
How Annoying
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a behavior that is unpleasant or socially undesirable' is directly and transparently built from 'nasty' (unpleasant/offensive) + 'habit' (a repeated behavior), so the overall sense is predictable from the parts. This is a straightforward adjective+noun composition common across languages and standard English usage, so a B1 learner who knows both words should understand it without prior exposure.
Etymology
Nasty habit brings together nasty (meaning 'unpleasant') and habit (a 'repeated action'), so imagine a small bad action that keeps coming back, like a smell you cannot get rid of. That's why it means 'a behavior that is annoying or socially wrong'.