different between lurgy vs lurry

English

Alternative forms

• lurgi, lurgey, lurgee

Etymology

A nonce word popularized by Spike Milligan and Eric Sykes, scriptwriters for a 9 November 1954 programme of The Goon Show, "Lurgi Strikes Britain", in which Ned Seagoon must deal with a national outbreak of a highly dangerous, highly infectious and — as it turns out — highly fictitious disease known as the Dreaded Lurgi.Folk etymologies for this word include:

• that it is a corruption and contraction of the term allergy. This is not supported by the use of the hard 'g' in lurgi (rhyming with Fergie), as allergy has a softer 'g' sound similar to a hard 'j'.
• that it is based on the Northern English dialectal phrase fever-lurgy (“lazy or idle”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) enPR: lû(r)?g?, IPA^(key): /?l??(?)?i/
• (US) enPR: lûr?ge, IPA^(key): /?l??i/

Noun

lurgy (plural lurgies)

1. (Britain, slang) A fictitious, highly infectious disease; often used in the phrase "the dreaded lurgi", sometimes as a reference to flu-like symptoms
2. (Britain, slang) Any uncategorised disease with symptoms similar to a cold or flu that renders one unable to work.

Usage notes

• Phrases like "I've got the lurgi" are commonly heard when somebody is explaining why they cannot attend a social occasion, come to work, etc.
• The term is also used in the context of playground games. For example, "You can't play with us; you've got the lurgi!" could be used when excluding another child from a group.

References

See also

• cootie

Anagrams

• gurly

English

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Of obscure origin. See lorry.

Verb

lurry (third-person singular simple present lurries, present participle lurrying, simple past and past participle lurried)

1. (transitive) To lug or pull about.
2. (transitive) To daub; dirty.

Related terms

• lorry

Etymology 2

Shortened form of liripipe.

Noun

lurry (plural lurries)

1. (obsolete) A confused heap; a throng or jumble, as of people or sounds.
   • 1664, Charles Cotton, Scarronides:

     How dur?t you Rogues take the opinion / To vapor here in my Dominion, / Without my leave, and make a lurry, / That men cannot be quiet for ye!

Verb

lurry (third-person singular simple present lurries, present participle lurrying, simple past and past participle lurried)

1. (intransitive) To hurry carelessly.