'poorly-kept' originates from the combination of 'poorly,' meaning 'in a poor manner,' and 'kept,' the past participle of 'keep,' meaning 'to maintain.'

'poorly-kept' evolved from the Middle English word 'kepan,' which meant 'to care for' or 'to guard,' combined with 'poorly,' which has been used since the 14th century to describe something done in a substandard manner.

Initially, 'poorly-kept' meant 'not well maintained,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.