Sunday, May 23, 2010

REDUPLICATIVES WITH MEANINGS 3

C. Rhyming Type - Repetitive Compound words: This peculiar word formation is for the sake of rhyming. Consider following examples:

1) airy-fairy - One that is insubstantial or impractical

2) argy-bargy - verbal dispute

3) artsy-fartsy - pretentiously or affectedly artistic (also arty-farty)

4) boo hoo - crying sound

5) boogie-woogie - piano jazz style

6) bow-wow - the sound of a dog

7) easy-peasy - very easy

8) fuddy-duddy - conservative or dull person

9) hanky-panky - suspicious behaviour

10) heebie-jeebies - nervousness

11) helter-skelter - haphazard

12) higgledy-piggledy - muddled

13) hocus-pocus - trickery; a magician's incantation

14) hodge-podge - a confused mixture

15) hoity-toity - haughty

16) itsy-bitsy - tiny

17) jeepers creepers - exclamation of surprise

18) mumbo-jumbo - derogatory reference to a religious or spiritual ritual

19) namby-pamby - feeble, weak

20) nitty gritty - the facts

21) okey-dokey - OK

22) super-duper - very pleasing

23) willy-nilly - whether it's wanted or not

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