word of the day: tatty

The word of the day is tatty:

Etymology:  < tat n.⁵ + -y suffix¹.

colloq.

1. Of a person, an animal: untidy, disreputable, ‘scruffy’. Cf. tatty adj.¹ 

2. Of clothes, decoration, etc.: shabby, tawdry, cheap. 

3. Of a place or a building: badly cared for, neglected, run down.

4. transf. In other miscellaneous uses. (OED)

"The walls were tiled with awards and citations, and next to his computer sat a tatty thesaurus, which he uses to write the digressive essays that form the basis for the company’s official tasting notes."

 - Kelefa Sanneh, "Spirit guide: Reinventing a great distillery", 11 & 18 February 2013 The New Yorker