Barney
Pronunciation
- British enPR: bäʹni, IPA: /ˈbÉ‘Ë(ɹ)ni/
- US IPA: bärʹni, IPA: /ˈbɑrni/,
- Rhymes: -É‘Ë(r)ni
Full definition of barney
Noun
- (UK, Australia, slang) A noisy argument.
- 2007, Dave Brooks, For Nil Consideration, real+barney%22&hl=en&ei=ADrSTvbFLvCViQeL96HVDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22a%20right|real%20barney%22&f=false page 230,Gary and Mum went mental, and Gary phoned them up and had a right Barney with them.
- 2009, Neville Conway, An Ornament to His Profession, real+barney%22&hl=en&ei=ADrSTvbFLvCViQeL96HVDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22a%20right|real%20barney%22&f=false page 45,‘They had a right barney,’ Dexter said with glee, between mouthfuls. ‘Bloke wouldn′t go. Said he′d write to his MP.’
- 2010, Michael White, The Art of Murder, real+barney%22&hl=en&ei=ADrSTvbFLvCViQeL96HVDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22a%20right|real%20barney%22&f=false unnumbered page,‘...I bet there was a right barney over her wearing a dress that exposed the rose tattoo!’ Turner concluded with a laugh.
- (UK, Australia, slang) A minor physical fight.
- 1982, Ruth Dudley Edwards, Corridors of Death, real+barney%22&hl=en&ei=A7_QTqn4LKquiAexz7m2Dg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22a%20right|real%20barney%22&f=false page 157,I got stuck in the middle of a real barney between a couple of tough coppers and a handful of hairy protesters, and I didn't enjoy it one single bit.
- 2010, Katie Flynn, The Liverpool Rose, real+barney%22&hl=en&ei=ADrSTvbFLvCViQeL96HVDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22a%20right|real%20barney%22&f=false page 200,But he doesn't seem to be so — so angry all the time, and it's ages since he and Aunt Annie had a real barney, with flying fists and screechings, that sort of thing.
- 2011, Cynthia Harrod-Eagles, Killing Time, real+barney%22&hl=en&ei=ADrSTvbFLvCViQeL96HVDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22a%20right|real%20barney%22&f=false unnumbered page,‘I heard this crash, like the door was being kicked in, and then a load of shoutin′ an′ crashin′ about, like someone was havin' a real barney.’
- (United States, pejorative slang) An insult directed at a police officer, usually by someone who believes the officer to be inferior or overzealous.
- The term traces its origins to the character Barney Fife on the television series The Andy Griffith Show.
