i Register
In some senses, partridgean is marked as derogatory, UK. Watch for register when choosing this word.
partridgean
adj 2
Collocations
4ADJ.
arbitrary, best, english, hot, managed, over, unintentional
VERB + PARTRIDGEAN
added, bordered
PARTRIDGEAN + NOUN
colorfulness, comedy, etymology, nights
PREP.
in, on
Definitions
adj
1
Self-important but bathetic; unable to distinguish the meaningful from the trivial and therefore prone to absurdity.
Speaking of glaring faults, howsabout Rio Ferdinand’s for starters? This, at least, is one properly footballing ‘Hot Topic’ the Partridgean hacks have managed to find room for, though I note it took him cocking up in an England shirt for them to do so.
Paul Sexton, presenting The Queen of Soul: the Legend of Aretha (Radio 2), had a bouncy introduction that bordered on the Partridgean. Over two nights, he explained, the programmes would explore Franklin's move "from the church to the charts". They would, he added, "say RESPECT to a true original".
adj
1
In the manner or style of lexicographer Eric Partridge (1894–1979).
A Partridgean colorfulness is allowed to creep into the etymologies [...] where severer counsel falls back on "etym. uncertain" or "etym. unknown".
The fourth edition of A Dictionary of South African English [...] is, however, Partridgean in its arbitrary use of fonts, punctuation, and capitalization, in its placement of material, and in its not infrequent self-contradictions.
Thesaurus
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms & Phrases
Example Bank
601
Speaking of glaring faults, howsabout Rio Ferdinand’s for starters? This, at least, is one properly footballing ‘Hot Topic’ the Partridgean hacks have managed to find room for, though I note it took h
Wiktionary02
Paul Sexton, presenting The Queen of Soul: the Legend of Aretha (Radio 2), had a bouncy introduction that bordered on the Partridgean. Over two nights, he explained, the programmes would explore Frank
Wiktionary03
He was less revolted by squatting by the end of the film, but for most viewers the unintentional Partridgean comedy would have been the best reason for watching. “You can’t film me pissing,” he said i
Wiktionary04
A Partridgean colorfulness is allowed to creep into the etymologies [...] where severer counsel falls back on "etym. uncertain" or "etym. unknown".
Wiktionary05
The fourth edition of A Dictionary of South African English [...] is, however, Partridgean in its arbitrary use of fonts, punctuation, and capitalization, in its placement of material, and in its not
Wiktionary06
Richter (2006: 57) suggests that it is a clipping of the English word po(rnograhpy) to which the suffix -ndy (as in ‘trendy’, ‘handy’, etc.) has been added: a Partridgean etymology at best.
WiktionaryUsage Notes
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