lurgy

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Alternative spellings 1.2 Etymology 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Synonyms 1.3.2 Usage notes 1.3.3 References

[edit] English

[edit] Alternative spellings

• lurgee
• lurgi (original spelling but now rare)

[edit] Etymology

A nonce word invented by Spike Milligan and Eric Sykes, scriptwriters for a 9 November 1954 programme of The Goon Show, "Lurgi Strikes Britain", in which Ned Seagoon must deal with a national outbreak of a highly dangerous, highly infectious and — as it turns out — highly fictitious disease known as the Dreaded Lurgi.^[1] Folk etymologies for this word include:

• a corruption and contraction of the allergy. This is not supported by the use of the hard 'g' in lurgy (rhyming with Fergie), as allergy has a softer 'g' sound similar to a hard 'j'. However, Harry Secombe's son on a BBC radio programme confirmed that the term arose from a deliberate mis-reading by Spike Milligan of "allergy", saying "a lurgy".
• based on the Northern English dialectic phrase fever-lurgy (“‘lazy or idle’”).

[edit] Noun

lurgy (plural lurgies)

1. (British, slang) A fictitious, highly infectious disease; often used in the phrase "the dreaded lurgy", sometimes as a reference to flu-like symptoms

[edit] Synonyms

• cooties (US) (Only in the playground sense.)

[edit] Usage notes

• Phrases like "I've got the lurgy" are commonly heard when somebody is explaining why they cannot attend a social occasion, come to work, etc.
• The term is also used in the context of playground games. For example, "You can't play with us, you've got the lurgy!" could be used when excluding another child from a group.

[edit] References

• Notes:

1. ^ Quinion, Michael. "The Dreaded Lurgi." World Wide Words.