Dictionary

hurdy-gurdy en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈhɜː.diˌɡɜː.di/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˌhɝː.diˈɡɝː.di/ (US)
• /ˈhɝː.diˌɡɝː.di/ (US)
• (US) audio
• /ˌhɜː.diˈɡɜː.di/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Probably onomatopoeic in imitation of the sound produced by the stringed instrument. Compare obsolete hirdy-girdy (“an uproar; noise”). Attested from the 1740s.

Meanings

1. (humorous, not-comparable) Sounding like the Swedish language.
   • “You mean when she read that God-awful poem in her hurdy-gurdy Swedish chef accent? 1995, Jones, Tanya, Ophelia O. and the mortgage bandits, →OCLC:
   • Swedes are often said to sing while they speak. (Listen to Floyd, the Muppet’s Swedish chef, singing “Hurdy Gurdy” and you’ll understand this.) 1996, Svensson, Charlotte Rosen, Culture shock!, →OCLC:
   • Just don’t do what the Swedish chef from The Muppet Show does and start playing tennis with the meatballs, or start waving your cooking utensils about the kitchen and shouting ‘hurdy gurdy’ at your mates. 2009, The great big bumper book of marmite, →OCLC:

Relateds

viellist

hurdy-gurdy en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈhɜː.diˌɡɜː.di/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˌhɝː.diˈɡɝː.di/ (US)
• /ˈhɝː.diˌɡɝː.di/ (US)
• (US) audio
• /ˌhɜː.diˈɡɜː.di/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Probably onomatopoeic in imitation of the sound produced by the stringed instrument. Compare obsolete hirdy-girdy (“an uproar; noise”). Attested from the 1740s.

Meanings

1. A stringed instrument that produces a droning sound by turning a handle that connects to a wheel that rubs against a rosined string, with a keyboard also used to alter the pitch of the string.
2. Synonym of street organ, often considered a misnomer.
   • He flung open the door, and found there only a ragged boy with a hurdy-gurdy on his back. 1956 [1880], Johanna Spyri, Heidi, translation of original by Eileen Hall, page 83:
3. (California, US) A water wheel with radial buckets, driven by the impact of a jet.
4. A winch, a windlass.
   • A pair of oars, a small mast and sail, pen boards to contain the fish, a bailer, a water jar, a bait knife, a compass, a small wooden winch called a hurdy gurdy, a fish gaff, and the tubs, trawls, floats, and anchors used to set gear was all that was required to equip it. 2009, Keith McLaren, A Race for Real Sailors, page 20:

Forms

Deriveds

hurdy-gurdyist

Synonyms

often considered a misnomer · street organ · wheel fiddle (stringed instrument) · organistrum

Translations (33)

de Drehleier (stringed instrument) · oc sonsaina (stringed instrument) · hu nyenyere (stringed instrument) · ru колёсная ли́ра (stringed instrument) · nl draailier (stringed instrument) · mk хурди-гурди (stringed instrument) · nrf chifournie (stringed instrument) · it ghironda (stringed instrument) · ca viola de roda (stringed instrument) · cmn 手搖琴 /手摇琴 (stringed instrument) · es zanfona (stringed instrument) · cmn 手搖風琴 /手摇风琴 (stringed instrument) · sv vevlira (stringed instrument) · eo vjelo (stringed instrument) · de Leier (stringed instrument) · pt sanfona (stringed instrument) · pt viela de roda (stringed instrument) · vo tulagel (stringed instrument) · nl draaivedel (stringed instrument) · gl zanfona (stringed instrument) · ko 허디 거디 (stringed instrument) · hu tekerőlant (stringed instrument) · fr vielle à roue (stringed instrument) · is sveiflíra (stringed instrument) · sl strunska lajna (stringed instrument) · cmn 絞弦琴 /绞弦琴 (stringed instrument) · hu forgólant (stringed instrument) · sk ninera (stringed instrument) · cs niněra (stringed instrument) · ko 휴대용 풍금 (stringed instrument) · pl lira korbowa (stringed instrument) · fi kampiliira (stringed instrument) · ja ハーディ・ガーディ (stringed instrument)