dodgy

English

Etymology

From dodge (verb) +‎ -y. First used in mid-19th century England.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdɒd͡ʒ.i/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒdʒi

Adjective

dodgy (comparative dodgier, superlative dodgiest) (slang)

1. (UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) Evasive and shifty.

   Asked why, a spokesman gave a dodgy answer about legal ramifications.

2. (UK, Ireland, Commonwealth) Unsound and unreliable.

   Never listen to dodgy advice.

   The dodgy old machine kept breaking down.

3. Dishonest.

   The more money the better, because there is always that dodgy politician or corrupt official to bribe.

   I am sure you wouldn't want to be seen buying dodgy gear, would you? (stolen goods).

4. Risky.

   This is a slightly dodgy plan, because there is a lot that is being changed for this fix.

5. Deviant.

   He's a dodgy Peeping Tom.

6. Uncomfortable and weird.

   The situation was right dodgy.

   I'm feeling dodgy today, probably got the flu.

Synonyms

• (all): dodge (Australia)
• (unsound and unreliable): shaky, flaky
• (risky): chancy, risky

Derived terms

• dodgily
• dodginess
• dodgy box

 

Translations

evasive and shifty

• Bulgarian: увъртащ (bg) (uvǎrtašt), избягващ (bg) (izbjagvašt)
• Esperanto: evitema, malpreciza
• German: ausweichend (de)
• Hungarian: zavaros (hu), homályos (hu)
• Italian: evasivo (it) m, elusivo (it)
• Macedonian: лу́кав (lúkav), у́мешен (úmešen), ве́шт (véšt)
• Portuguese: evasivo (pt) m
• Russian: изворотливый (ru) (izvorotlivyj), ло́вкий (ru) (lóvkij)

unsound and unreliable

• Bulgarian: ненадежден (bg) (nenadežden)
• Esperanto: suspektinda, nefidinda, malfidinda
• Finnish: epävakaa (fi)
• French: pas fiable, suspect (fr)
• German: unzuverlässig (de)
• Hungarian: gyanús (hu), kétes (hu)
• Italian: inaffidabile (it) m
• Macedonian: недо́верлив (nedóverliv), неверодо́стоен (neverodóstoen), сомни́телен (somnítelen)
• Polish: szemrany (pl)
• Russian: непрочный (ru) (nepročnyj), шаткий (ru) (šatkij), сомни́тельный (ru) (somnítelʹnyj)
• Spanish: chungo (es)

dishonest

• Bulgarian: нечестен (bg) (nečesten)
• Esperanto: malhonesta
• Finnish: epärehellinen (fi)
• French: malhonnête (fr), croche (fr) (Québec)
• German: unehrlich (de)
• Hungarian: simlis (hu), sunyi (hu), sumák (hu), link (hu)
• Italian: disonesto (it)
• Macedonian: не́чесен (néčesen)
• Portuguese: desonesto (pt) m
• Russian: нече́стный (ru) (nečéstnyj), с хитрецой (s xitrecoj)
• Spanish: deshonesto (es), chungo (es)
• Swedish: tvivelaktig (sv)

risky

• Bulgarian: рискован (bg) (riskovan)
• Finnish: riskialtis (fi)
• French: périlleux (fr), risqué (fr), craignos (fr) (slang)
• German: riskant (de), risikoreich (de)
• Hungarian: rizikós (hu), bizonytalan (hu)
• Italian: rischioso (it)
• Macedonian: непре́двидлив (neprédvidliv), ри́зичен (rízičen), риска́нтен (riskánten)
• Portuguese: arriscado (pt) m
• Russian: непредсказу́емый (ru) (nepredskazújemyj), рискованный (ru) (riskovannyj)

deviant

• Danish: unormal (da)
• Esperanto: perversa
• Hungarian: perverz (hu)
• Italian: anormale (it) m
• Macedonian: на́стран (nástran)

weird

• Danish: mærkelig
• Esperanto: stranga
• French: louche (fr)
• German: komisch (de), seltsam (de), ungemütlich (de)
• Hungarian: fura (hu)
• Italian: strano (it), peculiare (it) m
• Macedonian: чу́ден (čúden), неу́добен f (neúdoben), непри́јатен (nepríjaten)
• Spanish: extraño (es), raro (es)

Anagrams

• Goddy