havey-caveyadj.

Brit.

/ˌheɪvɪˈkeɪvi/, U.S.

/ˌheɪviˈkeɪvi/

Forms: 1700s havy-cavy, 1800s– havey-cavey, 1800s– heighvy-keighvy, 1800s– heivy-keivy, 1800s– heyvy-keyvy, 1900s– eyvy-keyvy, 1900s– heavy-ceavy.

Origin: Of uncertain origin. Perhaps formed within English, by derivation. Etymons: haver v., -y suffix¹.

Etymology: Origin uncertain; perhaps < have- (in haver v., although this is only attested later in the relevant sense: compare haver v. 2) + -y suffix¹, with reduplication (with variation of the initial consonant).

1. English regional (northern and north midlands). Uncertain, doubtful, wavering. Now rare.

ΚΠ

1787 F. Grose Provinc. Gloss. Havy-cavy, undetermined, wavering, (habe cave) doubtful whether to accept or reject a thing.

1874 J. Hartley Halifax Clock Almanack 40 T' weddin' question remained heivy-keivy in his mind for sum months.

1891 S. O. Addy Suppl. Gloss. Words Sheffield 28 A young man who was very ill was said to be in a very havey-cavey state, tottering between life and death.

1901 Æ. Binns in Eng. Dial. Dict. (1903) IV. 95/1 That miln chimli lewks rayther eyvy-keyvy.

2. That seems or is considered to be dishonest, devious, or untrustworthy; ‘dodgy’. Now archaic and historical.

ΚΠ

1904 Sat. Rev. 3 Dec. 687/1 Mr. Balfour in striking contrast to this havey-cavey Bannerism has in his letter..disposed of this project.

1951 G. Heyer Quiet Gentleman 334 ‘Well, it sounds a havey-cavey business to me!’ he said.

1994 D. Cannell How to murder your Mother-in-Law iii. 28 The reason the competition for them ribbons has thinned out this year is due to some of Edna's havey-cavey tricks.

2005 A. Gracie Perfect Rake iii. 45 You surely cannot be the blackguard who has cozened my niece in such a havey-cavey way!

This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, March 2015; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	havey-cavey
释义	havey-caveyadj. Brit. /ˌheɪvɪˈkeɪvi/, U.S. /ˌheɪviˈkeɪvi/ Forms: 1700s havy-cavy, 1800s– havey-cavey, 1800s– heighvy-keighvy, 1800s– heivy-keivy, 1800s– heyvy-keyvy, 1900s– eyvy-keyvy, 1900s– heavy-ceavy. Origin: Of uncertain origin. Perhaps formed within English, by derivation. Etymons: haver v., -y suffix¹. Etymology: Origin uncertain; perhaps < have- (in haver v., although this is only attested later in the relevant sense: compare haver v. 2) + -y suffix¹, with reduplication (with variation of the initial consonant). 1. English regional (northern and north midlands). Uncertain, doubtful, wavering. Now rare. ΚΠ 1787 F. Grose Provinc. Gloss. Havy-cavy, undetermined, wavering, (habe cave) doubtful whether to accept or reject a thing. 1874 J. Hartley Halifax Clock Almanack 40 T' weddin' question remained heivy-keivy in his mind for sum months. 1891 S. O. Addy Suppl. Gloss. Words Sheffield 28 A young man who was very ill was said to be in a very havey-cavey state, tottering between life and death. 1901 Æ. Binns in Eng. Dial. Dict. (1903) IV. 95/1 That miln chimli lewks rayther eyvy-keyvy. 2. That seems or is considered to be dishonest, devious, or untrustworthy; ‘dodgy’. Now archaic and historical. ΚΠ 1904 Sat. Rev. 3 Dec. 687/1 Mr. Balfour in striking contrast to this havey-cavey Bannerism has in his letter..disposed of this project. 1951 G. Heyer Quiet Gentleman 334 ‘Well, it sounds a havey-cavey business to me!’ he said. 1994 D. Cannell How to murder your Mother-in-Law iii. 28 The reason the competition for them ribbons has thinned out this year is due to some of Edna's havey-cavey tricks. 2005 A. Gracie Perfect Rake iii. 45 You surely cannot be the blackguard who has cozened my niece in such a havey-cavey way! This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, March 2015; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < adj.1787
随便看	θ205378 θ205379 θ20538 θ205380 θ205381 θ205382 θ205383 θ205384 θ205385 θ205386 θ205387 θ205388 θ205389 θ20539 θ205390 θ205391 θ205392 θ205393 θ205394 θ205395 θ205396 θ205397 θ205398 θ205399 θ2054