Dictionary

agak-agak en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈɑɡɑ(ʔ)ˌɑɡɑ(ʔ)/ (Singapore)

Etymology

From Malay agak-agak, a reduplication of agak (“to estimate”).

Meanings

1. (Manglish, Singlish, not-comparable) Involving guesswork.
   • A man who together with his partner - a few years and several hundred sketches ago - came out with the "agak agak" philosophy. 1972 March 12, Edgar Koh, “the Comedians”, in New Nation, page 7:
   • Yes, although I would like to think of it as "agak agak figures." 1991, Kok-Yong Tan, “Currency exchange rates (was Re: Working in Singapore)”, in soc.culture.asean, retrieved 05 Sep 2018:
   • Instinct and a brash and breezy "agak agak" style is the way men occasional chefs, not professional ones cook. 1975 January 23, Betty L. Khoo, “When a man wears the apron and cooks to woo”, in New Nation, page 23:
   • Kelly always said,'We Baba follow the agak-agak principle.' 2007, Sidney Cheung, Chee-Beng Tan, editors, Food and Foodways in Asia: Resource, Tradition and Cooking, Abingdon: Routledge, →ISBN:

Forms

Relateds

agaration

agak-agak en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈɑɡɑ(ʔ)ˌɑɡɑ(ʔ)/ (Singapore)

Etymology

From Malay agak-agak, a reduplication of agak (“to estimate”).

Meanings

1. (Manglish, Singlish, invariable) To estimate or guess.
   • I am only trying my very best to recall what my granny did.....not agak agak, best of luck!! 1998 August 23, chong, “Tapai (fermented tapioca)”, in soc.culture.malaysia, retrieved 05 Sep 2018:
   • "Don't agak agak or we may end up on the wrong road." 2004, Uncle Yap, “Star: Damn chun blur sotong kena hantam kau kau”, in soc.culture.malaysia, retrieved 05 Sep 2018:
   • We fail to estimate how many are present in a HUGE UM*NO roadshow...and we fail to agak-agak the number ppl in and outside of cars crying "repom" slogans on a NOT SO LONG road as Jalan TAR. 1998, EyEwItNeSs, soc.culture.malaysia, retrieved 05 Sep 2018:
   • When cooking, for example, if asked how much sugar you put in, you could reply 'I just agak-agak.' 1999, Adam Brown, Singapore English in a Nutshell, Singapore: Federal Publications, →ISBN, page 3:
   • Then we should ensure that they have the necessary quantitative skills so they could think with some degree of precision and not merely agak agak (wild guesses). 2018, M. Bakri Musa, “Opening Minds Through Education”, in Seeing Malaysia My Way, retrieved 05 Sep 2018:

Forms