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Glite Dictionary
third-rate service

third-rate service

4.6
Work or help that is very low quality and disappointing
  • noun
  • Informal
: servicio de tercera categoría
  • The restaurant closed soon after customers complained about its third-rate service.

Examples

  • We were disappointed to receive third-rate service during our stay at the hotel.

  • You shouldn't expect more than third-rate service from such a poorly managed company.

  • I experienced third-rate service at that restaurant.

  • The hotel provided third-rate service during our stay.

  • We were disappointed to receive third-rate service during our stay at the hotel.

  • The restaurant closed soon after customers complained about its third-rate service.

  • You shouldn't expect more than third-rate service from such a poorly managed company.

Synonyms

lousy service
vsthird-rate service
  • Informal
1 3.9

Help from staff that leaves customers unhappy

stresses very poor or clearly substandard quality

Antonyms

excellent service
5 2.8

Help or attention from staff that is very good for customers

How Good

average
∞ 1.0
lousy service
  • Informal
1 3.9
third-rate service
  • Informal
4.6

Surface Forms

third-rate service singular
third-rate services plural

Morphology

third-rate + service

The meaning 'service of very poor quality' is directly and transparently derived from combining the adjective 'third-rate' (substandard) with the noun 'service' (assistance/work). This is a straightforward adjective+noun compositional pattern common across languages and should be understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.

Etymology

The phrase third-rate service comes from simple rating lists where things were put into first, second and third groups, and the third-rate group was the worst. So third-rate service means 'very poor' or 'low quality' service.