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20 Crazy English Expressions That You Need to Know,


The English language is, quite possibly, one of the strangest languages out there.

Contradicting rules, incredibly unique words, and confusing idioms are just a few reasons why.

Below, I have highlighted 20 of the strangest English expressions and how to use them properly.

1. Airy-fairy

[informal] [adjective]

Meaning
unrealistic or impractical.

Example
I get bored of listening to his airy-fairy ideas about getting famous in the future.

2. Argy-bargy

[informal] [noun]

Meaning
a loud argument or heated discussion.

Example
There was a lot of argy-bargy outside the local nightclub on Saturday.

3. Dilly-dally

[informal] [verb]

Meaning
to waste time.

Example
You can’t be late for your interview today, so don’t dilly-dally and get ready now!”

4. Fuddy-duddy

[informal] [noun]

Meaning
a person with old-fashioned ideas and opinions.

Example
Don’t listen to that old fuddy-duddy. He’s ideas about education are so out-of-date.

5. Funny money

[informal] [noun]

Meaning
illegal or counterfeit money.

Example
Some shops don’t accept €500 banknotes in case it’s funny money.

6. Higgledy-piggledy

[informal] [adjective, adverb]

Meaning
untidy, disorganized or unplanned.

Example
She keeps her office in such a higgledy-piggledy fashion that I’m surprised
she can work properly.

7. Hunky-dory

[informal] [adjective]

Meaning
fine, very satisfactory, going well.

Example
Thankfully, everything was hunky-dory with the trains on the way to work today.

8. Hurly-burly

[informal] [noun]

Meaning
an activity that is busy and noisy.

Example
I now avoid the hurly-burly of Christmas shopping downtown by ordering everything online.

9. Holy moley

[informal] [exclamation]

Meaning
used to express surprise or astonishment.

Example
Holy moley! There’s torrential rain and a massive flood in my best mate’s hometown.

10. Itsy-bitsy

[informal] [adjective]

Meaning
very small or tiny.

Example
They live in an itsy-bitsy house in the countryside.

11. Lovey-dovey

[informal] [adjective]

Meaning
to show affection in public in an open or embarrassing way.

Example
We were sitting next to this lovey-dovey couple on the bus. It was really distracting!

12. Namby-pamby

[informal] [adjective]

Meaning
weak, indecisive or very sensitive.

Example
I hate speaking to namby-pamby politicians about their failure to deliver on
earlier promises.

13. Nitty-gritty

[informal] [noun]

Meaning
the main facts or aspects of a situation.

Example
We need to get down to the nitty-gritty so that we finish this meeting before 6 o’clock.

14. Okey-dokey

[informal] [interjection]

Meaning
to show that you agree or accept something.

Example
Okey-dokey. We’ll meet at 7 o’clock tonight outside the restaurant.

15. Silly-billy

[informal] [noun]

Meaning
a person who is acting in a way that is not careful or without thinking (used with children).

Example
Don’t be a silly-billy. You’ll hurt yourself if you’re not careful.

16. Teeny-weeny

[informal] [adjective]

Meaning
very small or tiny.

Example
We weren’t impressed with our teeny-weeny room that the hotel gave us
for our summer holiday.

17. Shilly-shally

[informal] [verb]

Meaning
to hesitate to make a decision or take to long to do something.

Example
You need to shop shilly-shallying and decide if you want to accept that job offer.

18. Topsy-turvy

[informal] [adjective]

Meaning
confused or disorganized.

Example
It has been a topsy-turvy start to the season for my local football club.

19. Willy-nilly

[informal] [adverb]

Meaning 1
something happens without choice.

Example
His wife was drawn willy-nilly into a family argument when they were visiting his parents.

Meaning 2
to do something without planning or in a careless way.

Example
Our grandmother decides willy-nilly what to buy us for Christmas.

20. Wishy-washy

[informal] [adjective]

Meaning
not clear or lacking substance.

Example
He didn’t get the job because he only gave a wishy-washy description about why he would be suitable for the position.


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