unco

See also: uncò

English

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ʌŋkəʊ

Etymology 1

From Scots unco, shortening of uncouth.

Adjective

unco (comparative more unco, superlative most unco)

1. Strange, weird.
   • 1932, Lewis Grassic Gibbon, Sunset Song, Polygon 2006 (A Scots Quair), p. 18:

     And the second quean was Hope and she was near as unco as Faith, but had right bonny hair, red hair, though maybe you'd call it auburn [...].

Adverb

unco (not comparable)

1. (Scotland, northern Britain) Very.
   • 1920, Tod Robbins, Who Wants a Green Bottle?, 2007, Freaks And Fantasies, page 70,

     ‘Ye should tear up this carpet, Robbie,’ Uncle Peter called back over his shoulder. ‘It's most unco wearisome when a body′s leg-weary.’

   • 1996, Alasdair Gray, ‘The Story of a Recluse’, Canongate 2012 (Every Short Story 1951-2012), p. 267:

     Jamie has met only two kids of women: the mainly elderly and unco good who belong to his father's congregation, and those who drink in pubs and shebeens used by nearly penniless medical students.

Etymology 2

From uncoordinated.

Adjective

unco (comparative more unco, superlative most unco)

1. (slang, New Zealand, Australia) Uncoordinated.
   • 2006, Alexis Wright, Carpentaria, page 106,

     ‘Aren′t he the most unco kid you ever come across?’ Norm refused to have Kevin on his boat even if he begged to be taken because he was too clumsy.

Translations

uncoordinated

• Maori: ninipa

• Polish: nieogar (pl) m

Anagrams

• Ucon, coun

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Esperanto

Noun

unco (accusative singular uncon, plural uncoj, accusative plural uncojn)

1. ounce

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Latin

Noun

uncō

1. dative singular of uncus
2. ablative singular of uncus

References

• unco in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• unco in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette

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Scots

Etymology

Shortening of uncouth.

Adjective

unco (comparative mair unco, superlative maist unco)

1. unknown, strange
2. unusual, odd
3. great

Adverb

unco

1. very