nelly

American  

[nel-ee] / ˈnɛl i /

noun

Australian Slang.

1. inferior or cheap wine.

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nelly British  

/ ˈnɛlɪ /

noun

1. slang (sentence substitute) not under any circumstances; certainly not

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Etymology

Origin of nelly

First recorded in 1940–45; of uncertain origin

Example Sentences

With that funding, the team added a full-time nutritionist, massage therapists and a new ski-service truck affectionately known as Nelly.

From The Wall Street Journal

Whereas Brontë writes Nelly as a largely passive narrator, Fennell abandons the frame narrative structure altogether and instead fashions the housekeeper into a complex character with significant control over Cathy’s life.

From Los Angeles Times

Thus, Nelly is characterized as vengeful toward Cathy — although, as the latter lies in her death bed, the two share a brief moment that complicates their relationship to each other.

From Los Angeles Times

Regardless, Fennell gives Nelly and Cathy’s relationship psychological depth that Brontë’s novel doesn’t seem to afford them.

From Los Angeles Times

You might remember from English class that Brontë unspools her saga at a gossipy remove: Decades after the lovers are dead, Nelly is telling a stranger her perspective on the ménage as blurred through her own animosity.

From Los Angeles Times