Dictionary

Murphy en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈmɜɹfi/ (General-American)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈmɜːfi/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Irish Ó Murchadha (“descendant of Murrough”), Mac Murchaidh (“Son of Murrough”), etc. See Muircath.

Meanings

1. (abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, slang) Ellipsis of Murphy game (“type of confidence trick”).
   alt of Murphy game

Forms

Murphy en · PROPN

Pronunciation

• /ˈmɜɹfi/ (General-American)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈmɜːfi/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Irish Ó Murchadha (“descendant of Murrough”), Mac Murchaidh (“Son of Murrough”), etc. See Muircath.

Meanings

1. A common surname from Irish, the anglicized form of Irish Ó Murchadha
   • After a long talk between these two, and a little broken English from the Frenchmen, our visitors took leave; but Father Murphy had hardly gone a dozen rods when back he came, inquiring whether we were in want of anything. 1847 March 30, Herman Melville, Omoo: A Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas; […], London: John Murray, […], →OCLC:
   • A Granite Bay home previously owned by actor and comedian Eddie Murphy is back on the market for $12 million. 2015 October 1, Elaine Goodman, “Hot Property: Eddie Murphy's former home is back on the market (slideshow)”, in Sacramento Business Journal, archived from the original on 05 Apr 2016:
2. A unisex given name transferred from the surname, of occasional usage.
   • Sonja made me promise I would go to college. She said she'd wanted her daughter, Murphy, to go. She'd named her baby Murphy because it could never be a stripper name. But her daughter had changed her name to London. 2012, Louise Erdrich, The Round House, Corsair, published 2013, →ISBN, page 178:
3. A number of places in the United States: ▸ A census-designated place, the county seat of Owyhee County, Idaho.
4. A number of places in the United States: ▸ A census-designated place in Jefferson County, Missouri.
5. A number of places in the United States: ▸ A town, the county seat of Cherokee County, North Carolina.
6. A number of places in the United States: ▸ A city in Collin County, Texas.
7. A number of places in the United States: ▸ An unincorporated community in Buchanan County, Virginia.
8. A number of places in the United States: ▸ An unincorporated community in Barbour County, West Virginia.
9. A town in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina.

Forms

Deriveds

Murphy's test · Murphy drip · Murphy's button · Murphy bed · in the arms of Murphy · Murphy game · Murphy-Lane bone skid · Murphy's law · Murphy's punch · Murphysboro · murphy

Murphy en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈmɜɹfi/ (General-American)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈmɜːfi/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Irish Ó Murchadha (“descendant of Murrough”), Mac Murchaidh (“Son of Murrough”), etc. See Muircath.

Meanings

1. (slang, transitive) To swindle by means of the Murphy game confidence trick.

Forms