Paddy

//ˈpædi// adj, name, noun, slang

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Low; mean; boorish; vagabond. obsolete

    "Even after the expiration of four months the condition of the paddy persons continued most destitute. The English soldiers became mere barefoot starving beggars in the streets[…]"

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    An Irish nickname for Patrick.

    "...He jumped into the water as frisky as a whale Swam around the U-boat wagging his little tail He upped with his horn and he stuck it in the boat And sent them all to Heligoland did Paddy McGinty's goat..."

Noun
  1. 1
    Rough or unhusked rice, either before it is milled or as a crop to be harvested. countable, uncountable

    "Taking out a handful of paddy the old woman exclaimed, “Look how good this paddy is! It is called Malbhog – it makes excellent puffed rice.”"

  2. 2
    A fit of temper; a tantrum.

    "throw a paddy etc."

  3. 3
    A snowy sheathbill.
  4. 4
    An Irish person. offensive, slang, sometimes

    "It is in this context of Irishphobia that the racist caricature of the drunken, violent, ignorant Paddy was established."

  5. 5
    rice in the husk either gathered or still in the field wordnet
Show 6 more definitions
  1. 6
    A paddy field, a rice paddy; an irrigated or flooded field where rice is grown. countable
  2. 7
    A white person. slang

    "You know what I like best about paddy chicks? They give good head. Black broads don’t know nothing about giving head. I don’t know why. Might be it has something to do with some ancient tribal custom."

  3. 8
    an irrigated or flooded field where rice is grown wordnet
  4. 9
    A labourer's assistant or workmate. England, colloquial
  5. 10
    (ethnic slur) offensive term for a person of Irish descent wordnet
  6. 11
    A drill used in boring wells, with cutters that expand on pressure.

Etymology

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Malay padi (“paddy plant”). Doublet of palay.

Etymology 2

English dialect paddy (“worm-eaten”).

Etymology 3

Possibly from Paddy (“Irishman”).

Etymology 4

Perhaps after the paddy bird, or egret.

Etymology 5

From Irish Pád(raig) (“Patrick”) + -y.

Etymology 6

From Irish Pád(raig) (“Patrick”) + -y.

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