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arsy-varsy

[ ahr-see-vahr-see ]
/ ˈɑr siˈvɑr si /
Informal.
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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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
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