topsy-turvy

¹top·sy–tur·vy

adverb \ˌtäp-sē-ˈtər-vē\

Definition of TOPSY-TURVY

1

: in utter confusion or disorder

2

: with the top or head downward : upside down

Origin of TOPSY-TURVY

probably ultimately from tops (plural of ¹top) + obsolete English terve to turn upside down

First Known Use: 1528

²topsy–turvy

adjective

Definition of TOPSY-TURVY

: turned topsy-turvy : totally disordered

— top·sy–tur·vi·ly \-ˈtər-və-lē\ adverb

— top·sy–tur·vy·dom \-vē-dəm\ noun

First Known Use of TOPSY-TURVY

1612

Related to TOPSY-TURVY

Synonyms

chaotic, cluttered, confused, disarranged, disarrayed, disheveled (or dishevelled), disordered, disorderly, higgledy-piggledy, hugger-mugger, jumbled, littered, messed, muddled, mussed, mussy, pell-mell, rumpled, sloppy, topsy-turvy, tousled, tumbled, unkempt, untidy, upside-down

Antonyms

bandbox, crisp, kempt, neat, neatened, ordered, orderly, organized, shipshape, snug, tidied, tidy, trim, uncluttered, well-ordered

Related Words

bedraggled, befouled, begrimed, bemired, besmirched, blackened, cruddy, dingy, dirty, draggled, filthy, foul, grimy, grotty [chiefly British], grubby, grungy, mucky, nasty, smudged, soiled, spotted, squalid, stained, sullied, unclean, uncleanly; dowdy, frowsy (or frowzy), shaggy, slatternly, sloven, slovenly, uncombed; wrinkled; adulterated, contaminated, defiled, polluted, tainted; knotted, snarled, tangled; seedy, shabby, sleazy, sordid; neglected, neglectful, negligent

Near Antonyms

antiseptic, clean, cleaned, cleanly, hygienic, immaculate, sparkling, spick-and-span (or spic-and-span), spotless, stainless, unsoiled, unsullied; methodical (also methodic), regular, systematic, systematized; careful, fastidious, finicky, fussy, meticulous; combed, groomed, manicured, well-groomed; taintless, undefiled, unpolluted, untainted, wholesome

³topsy–turvy

noun

Definition of TOPSY-TURVY

: topsy-turviness

First Known Use of TOPSY-TURVY

1655