argy-bargy

American

[ahr-gee-bahr-gee] / ˈɑr giˈbɑr gi /

noun

Chiefly British.

a vigorous discussion or dispute.

argy-bargy British

/ ˈɑːdʒɪˈbɑːdʒɪ /

noun

Also called: argle-bargle. informal a wrangling argument or verbal dispute

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

argy-bargies

plural

Etymology

Origin of argy-bargy

First recorded in 1595–1605; alteration of argle-bargle

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

argy-bargy

And to us, in our city apartment, it does feel as if, in the gentle argy-bargy of family life, we’ve been educating each other.

From The Guardian ● Apr. 24, 2020

Bit of argy-bargy between Hartley and the Italy front-row, Barritt pinged for tackling Canale in the air.

From BBC ● Feb. 11, 2012

Now Hafeez thinks Punter's edged him behind, and after some argy-bargy we're going upstairs...

From BBC ● Mar. 19, 2011

That process could involve much argy-bargy – not least between chancellor George Osborne and business secretary Vince Cable.

From The Guardian ● Feb. 23, 2011

Instead you will engage in some direct-action argy-bargy!

From "Eats, Shoots & Leaves" by Author

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023