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In some senses, measly is marked as figuratively, informal. Watch for register when choosing this word.
VERB + MEASLY
given, paid
MEASLY + NOUN
boy, dollars, hog
ADV.
only
adj
Particularly of pigs or pork: infected with larval tapeworms or trichinae (parasitic roundworms).
Then take five or six apples, pick out the cores and fill up the holes thus made with flour of brimstone; stop up the holes and cast in the apples to the measly hog.
Of a person: infected with measles.
A measly boy, he looked like a tramp, probably one of the street boys from the village, just walked up here and made himself at home, and when I told him to leave, he wouldn't.
Small (especially contemptibly small) in amount.
For one whole day's work all I was given was twenty measly pounds.
The visiting tourists eagerly forked over a measly two dollars per group to their guides as payment for their services. This amount was measly sum to the givers, but a princely sum to the takers.
Then take five or six apples, pick out the cores and fill up the holes thus made with flour of brimstone; stop up the holes and cast in the apples to the measly hog.
WiktionaryA measly boy, he looked like a tramp, probably one of the street boys from the village, just walked up here and made himself at home, and when I told him to leave, he wouldn't.
WiktionaryFor one whole day's work all I was given was twenty measly pounds.
WiktionaryI was only paid a measly two dollars.
Tatoeba · #10922966"What a measly offering!"
Tatoeba · #11535998i Register
In some senses, measly is marked as figuratively, informal. Watch for register when choosing this word.