'poorly-handled' originates from the combination of 'poorly,' meaning 'in a poor manner,' and 'handled,' the past participle of 'handle,' meaning 'to manage or deal with.'

'poorly' and 'handled' have been used separately in English since the Middle Ages, but their combination as 'poorly-handled' is a more modern construction.

Initially, 'poorly' meant 'in a poor manner,' and 'handled' meant 'managed.' The combination retains these meanings, emphasizing ineffective management.