ning-nong

See also: ning nong

English

Alternative forms

• ning nong

Etymology

From British dialect (northern) ning-nang (“a fool”).

Pronunciation

• (General American, General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˈnɪŋˌnɔŋ/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

ning-nong (plural ning-nongs)

1. (Australia, New Zealand, colloquial, slang) A stupid person; an idiot.
   • 2006, Pip Wilson, Faces in the Street: Louisa and Henry Lawson and the Castlereagh Street Push, page 147:

     That “ning-nong of an MP” as Billy Lane calls him, Fred Brentnall, in his squeaky lorikeet voice reads to the House Lawson′s last two stanzas, just to highlight the danger besetting the colony of Queensland, indeed, the whole country: […]

   • 2007, Ethel Chop (Andrea Powell), Strain Your Gherkins, unnumbered page,

     And you might not know this, but potatoes are in fact a symbol of communism. Well what′s vodka made from? It isn′t fairy floss! It's potatoes, ning-nong!

   • 2010, Jeanne Matthews, Bones of Contention, page 12:

     He wrote a series of articles about a gang of greenies who′ve been interfering with commercial dragnet fishing, setting off firebombs and creating a nuisance. Made them out to be a bunch of ning-nongs and thugs.

   • 2011, Richard Wilkins, Black Ties, Red Carpets, Green Rooms, unnumbered page:

     We felt like total ning-nongs.

Synonyms

• nong