Dictionary

carny en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈkɑː(ɹ)ni/

Etymology

Clipping of carnival + -y (“diminutive, hypocoristic suffix”).

Meanings

1. (countable, informal) A person who works in a carnival (often one who uses exaggerated showmanship or fraud).
   • Bart spies an opportunity to make a quick buck so he channels his inner carny and posits his sinking house as a natural wonder of the world and its inhabitants as freaks, barking to dazzled spectators, “Behold the horrors of the Slanty Shanty! See the twisted creatures that dwell within! Meet Cue-Ball, the man with no hair!” 2012 May 20, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “Marge Gets A Job” (season 4, episode 7; originally aired 11/05/1992)”, in The Onion AV Club:
   • The Reverend Foster, self-ordained—or directly ordained by God, depending on authority cited—had an instinct for the pulse of his times stronger than that of a skilled carnie sizing up a mark. 1961, Robert A. Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land, New York: Avon, →OCLC, page 276:
2. (uncountable) The jargon used by carnival workers.
3. (countable, informal) A carnival.

Forms

Synonyms

showie

Translations (8)

de Schaustellerin (a person who works in a carnival) · cs kolotočář (a person who works in a carnival) · fi tivolilainen (a person who works in a carnival) · it giostraio (a person who works in a carnival) · de Schausteller (a person who works in a carnival) · it giostraia (a person who works in a carnival) · fr forain (a person who works in a carnival) · nl kermisklant (a person who works in a carnival)

carny en · NOUN · etymology 2

Etymology

Of unknown origin.

Meanings

1. (dialectal) Flattery.

Forms

Synonyms

hoomalimali · blandishment · ass-kissing · carny · ass-licking · sycophancy · flattery · blandishment · sooth · soft sawder · gloze · sycophancy · adulation · incense

carny en · VERB · etymology 2

Etymology

Of unknown origin.

Meanings

1. (dialectal) To cajole, wheedle, or coax.
   • The crossing at St. Martin’s Church was mine fust of all; and when the other lads come to it I didn’t take no heed of ’em—only for that I’d have been a bright boy by now, but they carnied me over like; for when I tried to turn ’em off they’d say, in a carnying way, ‘Oh, let us stay on,’ so I never took no heed of ’em. 1851, Henry Mayhew, London Labour and the London Poor, published 1861:

Forms

Synonyms

engle · ingle · croodle · fast-talk · carny · cajole · canoodle · blandish · butter up · hum · butter up · fleech · coax · soft-soap · stroke · word · collogue · inveigle · honey around · honey up · tweedle · twist · soap · inveigle · sweet-talk · blandander · soft-sawder · whilly · sweet-talk · sweeten · wheedle