Dictionary

spadger en · NOUN

Etymology

Originally British dialect (1850s), from spadge (fronted variant of northern dialect spag) + -er. The northern dialect term spag is a derhoticised form of Scots spurg (“sparrow”), from spur (from Old Norse spǫrr (“sparrow”), suffixless cognate of Old English spearwa) + diminutive suffix -ock, with loss of vowel and voicing of -k to -g after r.

Meanings

1. (colloquial, dialectal) A sparrow.
   • Genuine cockney ‘spadgers’ have appeared at Bulli. The little hoppers are spreading rapidly all over the colony. 1884 September 24, The Newcastle Morning Herald, Newcastle, NSW, page 3, column 7:
   • The broadcasting blokes are twittering away like spadgers over there. 1961, Margery Allingham, Three cases for Mr. Campion, page 82:
   • 'If you think spadgers is easy,' the father said, 'go get yourself a jenny wren. Jenny wrens is 'alf the size of spadgers and they never sit still for one second. Get yourself a jenny wren before you start shootin' yer mouth off about 'ow clever you is.' 1977, Roald Dahl, The Swan:
2. (colloquial) A boy.
   • He laughs and says, “My, you sure talk brash, for such a little spadger.” 1970, Donald Harington, Lightning Bug:

Forms