quisby

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word quisby. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word quisby, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say quisby in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word quisby you have here. The definition of the word quisby will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofquisby, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

Etymology

Uncertain; perhaps quiz +‎ -by, or from queer or Queer Street (“difficult circumstances”).

Noun

quisby (plural quisbies)

  1. (slang, obsolete) A wretch; an idle person.

Adjective

quisby (comparative more quisby, superlative most quisby)

  1. (UK, slang, archaic) Mean; destitute; strange.
  2. (UK, slang, archaic) In difficult circumstances; in trouble.
    • 1874, Arthur Sketchley, Mrs. Brown and Disraeli, page 151:
      [S]he told me as things was a-goin' werry quisby with 'em Wilkses. I says, "I'm sorry for 'er, but he's a party I don't 'old with, as in my opinion deserves to want, only but for others as would want with 'im."
      She says, "He's been and got 'isself in a 'ole with them books as he've been lewanted with, and will get two years over it, they say," and so he did, […]
  3. (UK, slang, archaic) Drunk; tipsy.
    • 1889, Belgravia, volume 70, page 15:
      " […] Did you know that my husband came home intoxicated?"
      Mrs. Brown laughed.
      "Oh, not so bad as that, surely! Only a little 'screwed.' George was 'quisby,' too. But then its Christmas, you know."

References

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia