topsy-turvy English · revision 1248

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˌtɒpsɪˈtəːvi/ ''(UK)''; /ˌtɑpsiˈtɚvi/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is probably formed from ''tops'', plural of [[top]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) and obsolete ''terve'' “to turn upside down”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from Middle English ''terven''.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) Random House suggests it may be a variant of ''top syd turvye'' “top side down”.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In utter confusion (1528),^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate) and upside down (1530).^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The OED suggests the phrase was probably in popular use before it was written.^(Etymonline) The Century Dictionary, cited by Etymonline, lists 31 variants, many of them altered to suggest a plausible origin, such as ''topside turvy'' and ''topside the other way''.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The adjective is dated 1612 by Merriam-Webster and 1618 by Barnhart,^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995) and the noun 1655.^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1528 – in utter confusion.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1530 – upside down.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1612 – adjective.^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1655 – noun.^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Upside down.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # In utter confusion or disorder.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Confused or disordered; turned upside down.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A state of confusion or [[chaos]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[topsy-turvily]]

+ * [[topsy-turviness]]

+ * [[topsy-turvydom]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}