barney

See also: Barney

English

Pronunciation
  • (Received Pronunciation) enPR: bäʹni, IPA(key): /ˈbɑːni/
  • (General American) enPR: bäɹʹni, IPA(key): /ˈbɑɹni/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Audio (AU)(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)ni

Etymology 1

Etymology unknown. Often incorrectly thought to be Cockney rhyming slang from "Barney Rubble" ( "trouble", from the character Barney Rubble on The Flintstones), it actually dates back to the 19th century and its origin is unknown.

Noun

barney (plural barneys)

  1. (obsolete, UK, slang) A lark, a romp, some fun.
  2. (obsolete, UK, slang) A hoax, a humbug, something that is not genuine, a rigged or unfair sporting contest.
    • 1865, Benjamin Brierley, Irkdale‎, volume 2, page 19:
      "Just keep it i' thy mind," entreated the other, as a sort of parting remembrance, "ut I won thee i' fair powell—one toss an' no barney. […] "
    • 1882 September 2, Evening News, column 6, page 1:
      Blackguardly barneys called boxing competitions.
    • 1884 April 13, The Referee, column 4, page 7:
      Who would believe that Mr. Gladstone shammed being ill, and that Sir Andrew Clark issued false bulletins, and that the whole thing was a barney from beginning to end.
  3. (obsolete, Harvard University slang) A poor recitation. [c. 1810]
  4. (UK, Australia, slang) A noisy argument.
    • 2007, Dave Brooks, For Nil Consideration‎, page 230:
      Gary and Mum went mental, and Gary phoned them up and had a right Barney with them.
    • 2009, Neville Conway, An Ornament to His Profession‎, page 45:
      ‘They had a right barney,’ Dexter said with glee, between mouthfuls. ‘Bloke wouldn′t go. Said he′d write to his MP.’
    • 2010, Michael White, The Art of Murder‎, unnumbered page:
      ‘ […] I bet there was a right barney over her wearing a dress that exposed the rose tattoo!’ Turner concluded with a laugh.
  5. (UK, Australia, slang) A minor physical fight.
    • 1982, Ruth Dudley Edwards, Corridors of Death‎, page 157:
      I got stuck in the middle of a real barney between a couple of tough coppers and a handful of hairy protesters, and I didn't enjoy it one single bit.
    • 2010, Katie Flynn, The Liverpool Rose‎, page 200:
      But he doesn't seem to be so — so angry all the time, and it's ages since he and Aunt Annie had a real barney, with flying fists and screechings, that sort of thing.
    • 2011, Cynthia Harrod-Eagles, Killing Time‎:
      ‘I heard this crash, like the door was being kicked in, and then a load of shoutin′ an′ crashin′ about, like someone was havin' a real barney.’
  6. (US dialect, Boston) A student at Harvard University.
  7. (film, television) Synonym of blimp (“soundproof cover for a video camera”)
    • 2015, Peter W. Rea, David K. Irving, Producing and Directing the Short Film and Video, page 209:
      You can create your own blimp or barney with anything that will deaden the camera noise, such as a changing bag, foam rubber, […]

Adjective

barney (comparative more barney, superlative most barney)

  1. (obsolete, UK, slang) insane crazy, loony.
Synonyms

Verb

barney (third-person singular simple present barneys, present participle barneying, simple past and past participle barneyed)

  1. (obsolete, Harvard University slang) To recite badly; to fail. [c. 1810]
    • 1947, Samuel Hopkins Adams, Banner by the Wayside:
      What avails it to make a shine in Greek if the next hour one does a barney in calculus.
  2. (UK, Australia) To argue, to quarrel.
Synonyms

References

Etymology 2

From the character Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show.

Noun

barney (plural barneys)

  1. (US, pejorative slang) A police officer, usually one who is inferior or overzealous.
    • 2005 March 3, “Scott Peterson's sister speaks out”, in MSNBC‎:
      She called the town Mayberry. She said Barney Fife was in charge.
Synonyms

Anagrams
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