Worn out, informally (4-2) Crossword Clue
Answer: BEAT-UP (6 letters)
The answer to the crossword clue "Worn out, informally (4-2)" with 6 letters is "BEAT-UP".Beat-up refers to something that is worn out, damaged, or in poor condition, often from extensive use or abuse. It is commonly used to describe items like cars, clothes, or even people who appear physically exhausted or distressed.
Why “Beat-Up” Fits
The clue asks for a phrase (4-2) meaning “worn out, informally.” The answer, BEAT-UP, fits exactly:
- Worn out, informally: Beat-up is a colloquial term meaning old, battered, damaged, or excessively used — the equivalent of “worn out.”
- Direct match: With enumeration (4-2), beat-up fits the clue structure perfectly.
- Colloquial tone: The clue specifies “informally,” signaling a slang or everyday phrase, not a formal synonym, which points directly to beat-up.
The phrase beat-up has roots in American slang:
- Origin and usage: From the mid-20th century, beat-up evolved from the sense of something being physically beaten to describing objects that look shabby or worn out.
- Contexts: Often used for cars, clothes, or furniture — “a beat-up car” or “beat-up sneakers.”
- Examples: “He drove a beat-up old truck,” or “She wore a beat-up leather jacket.” Both show the sense of “worn out” in casual usage.
Quick crosswords with clues like “worn out, informally (4-2)” alert solvers to idiomatic slang:
- Formal synonyms like spent (5) or exhausted (9) don’t fit either the enumeration or the informal register.
- The hyphenated form (4-2) strongly hints at a colloquial phrase rather than a single descriptive word.
- Among informal terms, beat-up is the clearest and most widely recognized, making it the correct solution.
