arsy-varsy
[ ahr-see-vahr-see ]
/ ˈɑr siˈvɑr si /
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adjective
wrong end foremost; completely backward: an arsy-varsy way of doing things.
adverb
in a backward or thoroughly mixed-up fashion: The papers are all filed arsy-varsy.
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Also ar·sy·ver·sy [ahr-see-vur-see]. /ˈɑr siˈvɜr si/.
Origin of arsy-varsy
1530–40; probably alteration of Latin vice versa (see vice versa), with arse substituted to make a facetious rhyming compound; for Latin versa>varsy,cf. argal2
Words nearby arsy-varsy
arson, arsonist, arsphenamine, ars poetica, arsy, arsy-varsy, arsy-versy, art, artal, Artaud, Artaxerxes I
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for arsy-varsy
At first 't was mighty fine for Tom; he'd nought to do and good pay for it; but by-and-by things began to grow vicey-varsy.
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