Fairy vs Lairy - What's the difference?
fairy | lairy |
(uncountable, obsolete) the realm of faerie; enchantment, illusion.
A mythical being who had magical powers, known in many sizes and descriptions, although often depicted in modern illustrations only as small and spritely with gauze-like wings; A sprite.
(Northern England, US, derogatory, colloquial) a male homosexual, especially one who is effeminate.
(paganism) A nature spirit revered in modern paganism.
Two species of hummingbird in the genus Heliothryx.
(UK) Touchy, aggressive or confrontational, usually while drunk.
* 2001 . "rush to order". Simon Stuart, Glasgow Sunday Herald , 14 October.
*:"There's always been a weird duality at the heart of New Order: the fact that three druggy, lairy Mancs and the drummer's girlfriend can craft music of such awesome emotive power as to make grown neds weep."
* 2002 . “
*:"Unskinny was a self-published riot of large lasses getting lairy in northern towns, and did a reasonable trade via friends and comic shops."
* 2002 . "
*:"The show is lairy , loud and laddish; it does exactly what it says on the tin."
* 2005 . , Alexander Masters.
*:"I started to get a bit lairy , agitated on drink."
* 2005 . "Women do make the worst drunks. Maybe it's the sick'n'sequin mix...". , The Independent on Sunday , 20 November.
*:"Obviously, I'm not beginning to suggest women commit as much violent crime as men when plastered. But I do now concede that being aggressive, ignorant, lairy and foul-mouthed suits the ladies even less than it suits the fellas."
(Australia) Vulgar and flashy.
* 1983 , National Book Council (Australia), Australian Book Review , Issues 48-57,
* 2008 , Helen Garner, True Stories ,
* 2009 , Sally Neighbour, The Mother of Mohammed: An Australian Woman?s Extraordinary Journey Into Jihad ,
(Australia) Socially unacceptable.
As a noun fairy
is (uncountable|obsolete) the realm of faerie; enchantment, illusion.As an adjective lairy is
(uk) touchy, aggressive or confrontational, usually while drunk or lairy can be (australia) vulgar and flashy.fairy
English
(wikipedia fairy)Alternative forms
* faery * faerieNoun
(fairies)Synonyms
* (mythical being) fay, fey, fae, sprite * (male homosexual) fag (US), faggot (US), poof (UK), queen (wikipedia fairy)Derived terms
* airy-fairy * fairy bread * fairy chess * fairy circle * fairy cycle * fairy dust * fairy floss * fairy godmother * fairy lights * fairy lily * fairy primrose * fairy ring * fairy ring champignon * fairy shrimp * fairy story * fairy tale * fairy thorn * fairy wren * fairyfloss * fairyland * fairy-tale, fairytale * tooth fairy * water fairylairy
English
Etymology 1
Adjective
(er)- Don't get lairy with me!
‘We wouldn?t dream of making you feel fat’”. Glasgow Herald , 27 July.
Live With Chris Moyles". Gareth McLean, The Guardian , September 24.
Etymology 2
Thought to be from .Australian National Dictionary Centre » Australian words » Meanings and origins of Australian words and idioms » L
Adjective
(er)page 29,
- He was lairy alright, resplendent in a purple blazer and pink trousers.
page 255,
- They had no wedding party, only an Australian couple in their sixties, the woman in a great deal of pancake and blusher and a lairy fur jacket.
page 176,
- Sungkar told Rabiah he thought of her as he rode to freedom on his motor scooter through the green wrought-iron gates, disguised in a pair of blue jeans and a lairy short-sleeved batik shirt: ‘Rabiah reckoned the safari suit was bad—if only she could see me now’.
