furphy

[ fur-fee ]

noun,plural fur·phies.Australian.

a false report or improbable story; rumor.

Origin of furphy

First recorded in 1910–15; after Furphy carts, water and rubbish carts manufactured by the Furphy family of Shepparton, Victoria, and used during World War I; compare parallel semantic development of scuttlebutt

Words Nearby furphy

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British Dictionary definitions for furphy (1 of 2)

furphy

/ (ˈfɜːfɪ) /

nounplural -phies

Australian slang a rumour or fictitious story

Origin of furphy

C20: from Furphy carts (used for water or sewage in World War I), made at a foundry established by the Furphy family

British Dictionary definitions for Furphy (2 of 2)

Furphy

/ (ˈfɜːfɪ) /

noun

Joseph, pen name Tom Collins . 1843–1912, Australian author. His works include the classic Australian novel Such is Life (1903) and The Buln-Buln and the Brolga (1948)

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

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