topsy-turvy
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top·sy-tur·vy
(tŏp′sē-tûr′vē)adv.
1. With the top downward and the bottom up; upside-down.
2. In or into a state of utter disorder or confusion: "turning our ordered life topsy-turvy" (Anne Tyler).
adj. top·sy-tur·vi·er, top·sy-tur·vi·est
1. Turned or positioned upside down; inverted.
2. Confused or disordered.
n. pl. top·sy-tur·vies
The quality or condition of being topsy-turvy.
top′sy-tur′vi·ly adv.
top′sy-tur′vi·ness n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
topsy-turvy
(ˈtɒpsɪˈtɜːvɪ)adj
1. upside down
2. in a state of confusion
adv
in a topsy-turvy manner
n
a topsy-turvy state
[C16: probably from tops, plural of top1 + obsolete tervy to turn upside down; perhaps related to Old English tearflian to roll over]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
top•sy-tur•vy
(ˈtɒp siˈtɜr vi)adv., adj., n., pl. -vies. adv.
1. with the top where the bottom should be; upside down.
2. in or into a state of confusion or disorder.
adj. 3. turned upside down; inverted; reversed.
4. confused or disorderly.
n. 5. inversion of the natural order.
6. a state of confusion or disorder.
[1520–30; perhaps alter. of top syd turvye topside down; turvy, variant of tervy, derivative of obsolete terve to turn over]
top′sy-tur′vi•ly, adv.
top′sy•tur′vi•ness, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Adj. | 1. |  topsy-turvy - in utter disorder; "a disorderly pile of clothes"untidy - not neat and tidy; "careless and untidy in her personal habits"; "an untidy living room"; "untidy and casual about money" |
| Adv. | 1. |  topsy-turvy - in a disordered manner; "they were piled up higgledy-piggledy" |
| 2. |  topsy-turvy - in disorderly haste; "we ran head over heels toward the shelter" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
topsy-turvy
adjective confused, upside-down, disorderly, chaotic, messy, mixed-up, jumbled, inside-out, untidy, disorganized, disarranged The world has turned topsy-turvy in my lifetime.
ordered, organized, neat, tidy, systematic, orderly, shipshape
ordered, organized, neat, tidy, systematic, orderly, shipshape
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
topsy-turvy
adjectiveCharacterized by physical confusion:
Informal: mixed-up.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
topsy-turvy
(inf)adj (lit: = upside down) → umgedreht; (= in disorder) → kunterbunt durcheinander pred; (fig) → auf den Kopf gestellt; it’s a topsy-turvy world → es ist eine verkehrte Welt; the room was all topsy-turvy → alles im Zimmer war kunterbunt durcheinander
adv to turn something topsy-turvy (lit, fig) → etw auf den Kopf stellen; plans → etw über den Haufen werfen
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995