I'm also sorry for all my typos - it's late

Posted by MichaelFr on December 07, 2003

In Reply to: I'm also sorry for all my typos - it's late posted by The Wise One on December 07, 2003

: : : So where does stroppy come from? And no, I don't mean me in the morning. I've know people to use words such as (and I must apologies for the following cos I've got no idea how to spell them)... obstroperous, obstropolous, abstrepperous - yeah I know, this will be a hideous misrepresentation.

: : : Anyway, can someone firstly tell me if any of the above words are really words and how to spell them, and whether 'stroppy' comes from any of those words?

:
: All good bookshops carry a wide selection of dictionaries and the Web is awash with online versions - all just a click away via Google or any similar search engine. There is no excuse in the modern world, other than sheer laziness, for spelling mistakes in any language.

Here is what you can get online from the Merriam-Webster (m-w.com)

Main Entry: strop·py
Pronunciation: 'strä-pE
Function: adjective
Etymology: perhaps by shortening & alteration from obstreperous
Date: 1951
British : TOUCHY, BELLIGERENT

• Thanks guys Lotg 07/December/03