narky

narky

English

Etymology

From nark +‎ -y.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈnɑːki/

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

Adjective

narky (comparative narkier, superlative narkiest)

1. (Britain, Australia, Ireland, slang) Irritated, in a bad mood; disparaging.
   • 1995, Linda Grant, The Cast Iron Shore, Granta, 1998, page 61,

     The war had made Stan narkier than ever.

   • 2003, Justine Larbalestier, A Buffy Confession, Glenn Yeffeth (editor), Seven Seasons of Buffy: Science Fiction and Fantasy Authors Discuss Their Favorite Television Show, BenBella Books, US, page 83,

     I′m now one of those people I used to defend the show against. There is no one more bitter than an ex-true believer. Color me narky and picky.

   • 2005, Maxim Jakubowski (editor), The Best British Mysteries 2005, page 191,

     It was a special request and Mrs. Fleming had to do it all on the spot, so that′s made her even more narky than usual.

   • 2005, Mark Latham, The Latham Diaries, page 141,

     Foolishly, I went to the National Right dinner last night. What a narky, miserable bunch of sods.

   • 2008, Amanda Brunker, Champagne Kisses, page 46,

     I had to endure the narkiest taxi driver complaining about ‘Foreign lads takin′ taxi plates’, who then managed to test my patience even more by leaving me a good walk from Parker′s apartment block.

   • 2008, Claudia Carroll, Do You Want to Know a Secret?, Random House, UK, unnumbered page,

     Age is definitely making me narkier. The only difference between me and my moany Auntie Maisie is a plaid shopping trolley and a tracheotomy.

Anagrams

• Karyn, kyarn, kyarn'