illywhacker

illywhacker

English

Alternative forms

• illywacker

Etymology

Uncertain. Suggested by lexicographer Sidney Baker to derive from speiler, via eeler-spee or eeler-speeler by pig Latin, and from which illywhacker. The verb form whack the illy is a back-formation from the noun.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈɪliwakə/

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

Noun

illywhacker (plural illywhackers)

1. (Australia, colloquial, rare) A small-time confidence trickster or seller of trinkets.
   • 1985, Peter Carey, Illywhacker, Faber and Faber 2003, p. 228:

     ‘What's an illywhacker?’ said Charles. ‘Spieler,’ explained Leah, who was not used to children.

Usage notes

The term was little used before revived by Peter Carey's 1985 novel Illywhacker, and the original sense is now difficult to ascertain.[1]

Derived terms

• whack the illy

References

1. 2001, Susan Butler, The Dinkum Dictionary: The Origins of Australian Words, Text Publishing, →ISBN.