Meaning of topsy-turviness | Babel Free

Definitions

The condition or state of being topsy-turvy; disorderly or muddled.

uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“Poor Margaret’s state of mind⟳ may have⟳ accounted for the tremendous topsy-turviness—to use⟳ a familiar expression—of her sentences.”

“The ward master comes to the door of each room that is to be thinned, reads off a list of names, bids their owners look⟳ sharp and be ready when called for; and, as he vanishes, the rooms fall⟳ into an indescribable state of topsy-turvyness, as the boys begin⟳ to black their boots, brighten spurs, if they have⟳ them, overhaul knapsacks, make⟳ presents; […]”

“It is said, for example, that a vast amount of English grammar and literature is picked up in the course of learning Latin and Greek. This is perfectly true, but the topsy-turviness of the idea never seems to strike⟳ them. It is like⟳ saying that a baby picks up the art of walking in the course of learning to hop, or that a Frenchman may successfully be taught German by helping a Prussian to learn⟳ Ashanti.”

“This discovery gave the world a strange new topsy-turvyness, and set⟳ Millner's theories spinning about his brain like⟳ the cabin furniture of a tossing ship.”

““It’s the curse,” he said, referencing Beria, for whose sins Dynamo, many say⟳, has yet to atone. But the club’s predicament owes more to the topsy-turviness of Russian soccer than to some historic hoodoo.”

CEFR level