divvy
English
Pronunciation
- (UK, Canada) IPA(key): /ˈdɪvi/
Audio (General Australian): (file)
Etymology 1
Alternative forms
Noun
divvy (plural divvies)
Derived terms
Translations
Verb
divvy (third-person singular simple present divvies, present participle divvying, simple past and past participle divvied)
- (informal, transitive) To divide into portions.
- We divvied the money into equal portions to split between us.
- 2006, John C. Roberts, concurrence and dissent in part in League of United Latin American Citizens v. Perry, 548 U.S. 399 (2006)
- It is a sordid business, this divvying us up by race.
Derived terms
Translations
to divide into portions
Etymology 2
Unclear. Suggested sources include a corruption of Davy lamp as used by miners; dividend as an unemployment benefit; or divot meaning "turf", used euphemistically in place of the vulgar sod.
Alternative forms
Noun
divvy (plural divvies)
- (slang, derogatory) A foolish person.
- Synonyms: see Thesaurus:fool
- Put it down and stop being a divvy!
Derived terms
- div
- divvo
Etymology 3
Adjective
divvy (comparative more divvy, superlative most divvy)
- (informal, dated) Divine; very pleasant, wonderful.
- 1924, Ford Madox Ford, Some Do Not... (Parade's End), Penguin, published 2012, page 36:
- ‘You'd find,’ the priest said, ‘that it whittled down until the only divvy moment was when you stood waiting in the booking-office for the young man to take the tickets.’