argy-bargy
English
Alternative forms
- argie bargie
- argie-bargie
- argy bargy
Etymology
Scottish, variant of argle-bargle, presumably from argue + -y (“diminutive”).[1]
Pronunciation
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈɑɹdʒiˌbɑɹdʒi/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈɑːdʒiˌbɑːdʒi/
- Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)dʒi
Noun
argy-bargy (countable and uncountable, plural argy-bargies)
- A verbal argument.
- There was a bit of an argy-bargy over the matter.
Verb
argy-bargy (third-person singular simple present argy-bargies, present participle argy-bargying, simple past and past participle argy-bargied)
- To argue.
- 1897, J. M. Barrie, chapter 6, in Margaret Ogilvy:
- Ten minutes at the least did she stand at the door argy-bargying with that man.
- 2003, Lynne Truss, Eats, Shoots & Leaves,, page 27:
- Instead you will engage in some direct-action argy-bargy!
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Synonyms
References
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