argie bargie
A British and Australian informal term for a noisy, prolonged argument or squabble — the kind that goes back and forth without either side gaining ground.
Etymology timeline
Born ~1850 · no dated citations yetDefinitions
A British and Australian informal term for a noisy, prolonged argument or squabble — the kind that goes back and forth without either side gaining ground. Typically used to describe petty disputes rather than serious confrontations, and often carries a slightly dismissive tone, implying the argument is more heat than light. Common in tabloid headlines and casual speech alike. Variants include 'argy-bargy', which is the more widely seen spelling in British English.
There was the usual argie-bargie over who forgot to pay the electricity bill.
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British informal expression for noisy, contentious arguing or a heated back-and-forth dispute. The reduplicative rhyming structure of argie-bargie is common in British colloquial formations and adds a slightly dismissive or comic tone to the quarrel being described. Implies bickering and squabbling more than serious conflict. Used affectionately or with mild exasperation to describe the kind of argument that generates more heat than resolution.
There was the usual argie-bargie at the town hall meeting before anyone agreed on anything.
Comments
(slang) (arguing contentiously).
"argie bargie" means: (arguing contentiously).. This is informal slang, common in casual speech, texting and social media, but not appropriate for school work, applications or professional settings. There is no real cause for concern in itself; it is everyday peer vocabulary. If your child uses it, a light comment about audience and register is usually enough — no need to escalate. Context, more than the word, tells you whether to follow up.
"argie bargie" means: (arguing contentiously).. Register: informal slang, fine in casual conversation, texting and social media but not in academic essays, business writing or formal speech. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
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