hirdy-girdyn.adv.
Scottish and northern dialect.† A. n.
Uproar, confusion, disorder. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > order > disorder > confusion or disorder > commotion, disturbance, or disorder > [noun] > (a) noisy
rippit?1507
hubbleshowa1525
burlinga1533
hubble-shubblec1550
burle1563
coil1567
hirdy-girdy1568
riff-raff1582
rut1607
hubbuba1625
clutter1656
sputter1673
splutter1677
rattle1688
rumpus1745
ree-raw1797
bobbery1816
trevally1819
stramash1821
nitty1822
hell's delight1823
pandemonium1827
oration1828
Bob's-a-dying1829
hubbaboo1830
reerie1832
circus1869
tow-row1877
ruaille buaille1885
brouhaha1890
foofaraw1933
bangarang1943
bassa-bassa1956
1568 (a1500) Colkelbie Sow i. 183 in W. T. Ritchie Bannatyne MS (1930) IV. 287 With sick a din and a dirdy A garray and hirdy-girdy The fulis all afferd wer.
1686 G. Stuart Joco-serious Disc. 44 What Hirdy-girdy this ye keep I canna get a wink of sleep.
1893 R. O. Heslop Northumberland Words Hirdy-girdy, a disorderly noise, a disturbance. (Obs.)
B. adv.
In or into disorder, in confusion.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > order > disorder > [adverb]
unfaira1400–50
unorderly1488
throughothera1522
troublesomely1561
disorderedly1574
disorderlya1577
tumultuarily1590
troubledly1599
incomposedly1615
throughothers1637
hirdy-girdy1681
à la débandade1779
disordinately1830
inchoately1964
1681 H. More in J. Glanvill Saducismus Triumphatus ii. 305 They ran all hirdie girdie.
1824 W. Scott Redgauntlet I. xi. 233 He ventured back into the parlour, where a' was gaun hirdy-girdie.
1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 50 Sae to the cross o' Anster ran Hirdie-girdie, woman and man.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1898; most recently modified version published online March 2019).
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n.adv.1568