different between worthless vs lairy

English

Etymology

From Middle English *worthles, from Old English weorþl?as (“worthless”), equivalent to worth +? -less. Cognate with Dutch waardeloos (“worthless”), German wertlos (“worthless”), Swedish värdelös (“worthless”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?w??l?s/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?w???l?s/

Adjective

worthless (comparative more worthless or worthlesser, superlative most worthless or worthlessest)

1. Having no worth or use; without value.

   Synonyms: miserable, useless, valueless, inconsequential

   Antonyms: precious, useful, valuable, worthful, worthy

Derived terms

Translations

Anagrams

• Strehlows

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?l???i/

Etymology 1

Variation of leery, originally Cockney slang.

Adjective

lairy (comparative lairier, superlative lairiest)

1. (Britain) Touchy, aggressive or confrontational, usually while drunk.

Etymology 2

Thought to be from leery (“knowing, streetwise”).

Adjective

lairy (comparative lairier, superlative lairiest)

1. (Australia) Vulgar and flashy.
   • 1983, National Book Council (Australia), Australian Book Review, Issues 48-57, page 29,

     He was lairy alright, resplendent in a purple blazer and pink trousers.

   • 2008, Helen Garner, True Stories, 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.

   • 2009, Sally Neighbour, The Mother of Mohammed: An Australian Woman?s Extraordinary Journey Into Jihad, 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’.

2. (Australia) Socially unacceptable.

Derived terms

• lair
• lairiser

References

Anagrams

• airly, riyal