topsy-turvy

== English == === Etymology === The origin of the adverb and adjective are uncertain. Topsy is probably derived from top or tops, though this does not explain the -sy ending; it has been suggested that the latter comes from so (thus, top so) or from top-set or top-side, modified to match the -y ending of turvy. The term topside-turvy is mentioned in the Anglo-Irish writer Laurence Sterne’s novel, The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman (1759–1767).Turvy is probably derived from a rare (scarcely attested) obsolete English word terve, turve (“to be thrown down; to fall; to dash down; to cast, throw; to turn back or down; to fold or roll over”) +‎ -y (suffix meaning ‘having the quality of; inclined to’), with turve inherited from Middle English terven (“to throw (something) down; to throw (something) into confusion; to level; to resort or turn (to something); to go, move; to turn; to collapse, fall”) […], perhaps from Old English *tierfan (compare Old English tearflian (“to roll over, wallow”)) or from Old English torfian (“to launch, throw; to shoot missiles at; to stone; to be tossed”), from Proto-Germanic *turbōną (“to fling, hurl”), *turbijaną (“to turn, twist”) (whence Old English ġetyrfian (“to assail with missiles; to assault, attack”)), from Proto-Indo-European *derbʰ- (“to spin, twist”). Thus, the term as a whole may literally mean “having the top side thrown or turned down”. The noun and verb are probably derived from the adverb and adjective. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌtɒpsɪˈtəːvi/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˌtɑpsiˈtɚvi/ Hyphenation: top‧sy-turvy, top‧sy-tur‧vy === Adverb === topsy-turvy (comparative more topsy-turvy, superlative most topsy-turvy) Backwards or upside down; also, having been overturned or upset. Synonyms: inverted, reversed; see also Thesaurus:upside down (figurative) Not in the natural order of things; in a disorderly manner; chaotically. ==== Alternative forms ==== topside-turvy (obsolete) topsyturvy, topsy turvy ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === topsy-turvy (comparative topsy-turvier, superlative topsy-turviest) Backwards or upside down. Synonyms: inverted, reversed (figurative) Chaotic; disorderly. ==== Alternative forms ==== topsy-turvey topsyturvy topsy turvy ==== Translations ==== === Noun === topsy-turvy (countable and uncountable, plural topsy-turvies) (countable) An act of turning something backwards or upside down, or the situation that something is in after this has happened. (countable, figurative) A situation where the natural order of things has been upset. (uncountable, figurative) Chaos, confusion, disorder. ==== Translations ==== === Verb === topsy-turvy (third-person singular simple present topsy-turvies or topsy-turvys, present participle topsy-turvying, simple past and past participle topsy-turvied or topsy-turvyed) (transitive) To turn topsy-turvy or upside down; to invert. (transitive, figurative) To throw into chaos or disorder; to upset. ==== Alternative forms ==== topsy-turvey topsy turvy ==== Derived terms ==== topsy-turvied (adjective) topsy-turvying (adjective, noun) ==== Translations ==== === References === === Further reading === Topsy-Turvy (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia