topsy turvy

topsy turvy (comparative more topsy turvy, superlative most topsy turvy)

1. Alternative form of topsy-turvy
   • 1742, John Winstanley, “A Child’s Answer to an Invitation; Done by His Father”, in Poems Written Occasionally , Dublin: S. Powell, for the author, →OCLC, pages 31–32:

     China, and Ganges, and Japan, / Are Words my Papa taught my Pen. He ſays, they're Countries to be found, / In a ſtrange World, below the Ground; / Where Folks with Feet erected treat, / And diſtant, downward hang their Head; / Fearleſs they topſy turvy run, / With naught beneath—but Skies and Sun.

   • 1749, Henry Fielding, “From which it May be Inferred, that the Best Things are Liable to be Misunderstood and Misinterpreted”, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume IV, London: A Millar, , →OCLC, book XII, pages 231–232:

     [A]s the Parſon told us laſt Sunday, nobody believes in the Devil now-a-days; and here you bring about a Parcel of Puppets dreſt up like Lords and Ladies, only to turn the Heads of poor Country Wenches, and when their Heads are once turned topſy turvy, no wonder every thing elſe is ſo.

topsy turvy (comparative more topsy turvy, superlative most topsy turvy)

1. Alternative form of topsy-turvy
   • 1675, William Penn, “The Ground or Reason of Swearing”, in A Treatise of Oaths, Containing Several Weighty Reasons why the People Call’d Quakers Refuse to Swear: , : [s.n.], →OCLC, page 10:

     [John] Chrysostom saith, An Oath came in when Evils increased, when men appeared unfaithful, when all things became Topsy Turvy.

   • 1700, [William] Congreve, The Way of the World, a Comedy. , London: Jacob Tonson, , →OCLC, Act IV, scene x, pages 63–64:

     If I travel Aunt, I touch at your Antipodes—your Antipodes are a good raſcally ſort of topſy turvy Fellows—If I had a Bumper I'd ſtand upon my Head and drink a Health to ’em— [...]

topsy turvy (plural topsy turvies)

1. Alternative form of topsy-turvy
   • 2006, Sue Robson, “Language, Communication and Thought”, in Developing Thinking and Understanding in Young Children: An Introduction for Students, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, New York, N.Y.: Routledge, →ISBN, page 114:

     The best-known examples of children’s nonsense language play, and their ‘topsy turvies’, or inversion of reality, are in Chukovsky, who asserts that such topsy turvies ‘strengthen (not weaken) the child’s awareness of reality’ [...].

topsy turvy (third-person singular simple present topsy turvies or topsy turvys, present participle topsy turvying, simple past and past participle topsy turvied or topsy turvyed)

1. Alternative form of topsy-turvy
   • 1859 July, “Art. IX.—1. Adam Bede. By George Eliot. 3 vols. 1859. 2. Scenes of Clerical Life. By George Eliot. 2 vols. 1858. [book review]”, in The Edinburgh Review, or Critical Journal, volume CX, number CCXXIII, London: Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts; Edinburgh: Adam and Charles Black, →OCLC, page 241:

     Mr. [George] Eliot's descriptions of scenery are perfect: [...] and so are his descriptions of children. [...] We forbear (though with regret) the introduction to our readers of Totty's bald doll, ignominously ‘topsy turvied’ by her insulting brother.

   • 2007, “Portrayal of Diaspora Experiences”, in Basavaraj Naikar, editor, Indian English Literature, volume II, New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers & Distributors, →ISBN, page 195:

     Being from a lower caste, she earns her meager livelihood by cleaning the stairs and guarding the locality (the conventional roles are topsy turvyed).