umpty. 1905, "of an indefinite number," originally Morse code slang for "dash," influenced by association with numerals such as twenty, thirty, etc. See more. -teen.

Where did the phrase umpteen come from?

His umpty originated as military slang around 1905 and stood for an indefinite number, generally largish. (It was probably created by analogy to actual numbers such as twenty.) Soon, there followed umpteen, blending umpty and -teen.

Is the word umpteen in the English dictionary?

determiner. Umpteen can be used to refer to an extremely large number of things or people. [informal, emphasis] He was interrupted by applause umpteen times.

What does Umteeth mean?

adjective Informal. of an indefinitely large number in succession: He was the umpteenth person to arrive.

What does the expression for the umpteenth time mean?

From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishump‧teenth /ˌʌmpˈtiːnθ◂/ adjective [only before noun] if something happens for the umpteenth time, it happens again after having happened many times before – used when you are annoyed that it has happened so often 'This is crazy, ' she told herself for the umpteenth time.

Under 60 Seconds: Where does the term '86' come from?

39 related questions found

What is the synonym of umpteen?

adjective. 1'she'd phoned the apartment umpteen times' countless, numerous, innumerable, very many, ever so many, untold. informal lots of, loads of, masses of, heaps of, stacks of, piles of, bags of, oodles of, tons of, hundreds of, thousands of.

What is the meaning of nimbler?

1. Quick, light, or agile in movement or action; deft: nimble fingers. 2. Quick, clever, and acute in devising or understanding: nimble wits. See Synonyms at dexterous.

What does interminably mean?

: having or seeming to have no end especially : wearisomely protracted an interminable sermon.

Is umpteen formal?

adjective (Informal) very many, numerous, countless, millions, considerable, a good many, a thousand and one, ever so many He has produced umpteen books, plays and television series.

How do you use umpteenth?

You use umpteenth to indicate that an occasion, thing, or person happens or comes after many others. He checked his watch for the umpteenth time. She was now on her umpteenth gin.

What is a mercenary person?

: one that serves merely for wages especially : a soldier hired into foreign service mercenaries who guaranteed the success of the rebellion — B. F. Reilly. mercenary. adjective. Definition of mercenary (Entry 2 of 2) 1 : serving merely for pay or sordid advantage : venal also : greedy.

What is an Umpty?

an indefinite, fairly large number. Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms.

What is the description of convergent?

1 : tending to move toward one point or to approach each other : converging convergent lines a tropical cyclone characterized by convergent airflow. 2 : exhibiting convergence in form, function, or development …

Is umpteen a Scottish word?

The OED says umpteen (also umteen) is from umpty (an indefinite, usually large, number) and -teen. Their first quotation is from 1918 but it was used in 19th century New Zealand and Australia.

Is umpteen an adjective?

adjective Informal. innumerable; many. Also ump·steen [uhmp-steen], umteen .

Is umpteenth a real number?

Umpteen. Umpteen, umteen or umpty is an unspecified but large number, used in a humorous fashion or to imply that it is not worth the effort to pin down the actual figure. Despite the -teen ending, which would seem to indicate that it lies between 12 and 20, umpteen can be much larger.

What does palming me off mean?

palmed off. DEFINITIONS2. to get rid of someone or something that you do not want, by persuading someone else to take or buy them from you.

How do you use umpteenth in a sentence?

Umpteenth sentence example

They made love for the umpteenth time since their wedding. "That should bring her running back," she muttered dryly, and slammed the door behind him ... thankful for the umpteenth time that she hadn't married him.

What is the synonym of ovation?

round of applause, applause, handclapping, clapping, cheering, cheers, bravos, acclaim, standing ovation, acclamation, praise, plaudits, laurels, tribute, accolade, bouquets. informal hand, big hand. rare laudation, extolment. hotting.

What's the meaning of trickle down?

1 : relating to or working on the principle of trickle-down theory trickle-down economics. 2 : relating to or being an effect caused gradually by remote or indirect influences.

What does petulant child mean?

The adjective, petulant, is a disapproving term used to describe a bad-tempered child, an adult behaving like an angry child or behavior of this type. Angry or annoyed mean the same thing, but if you choose the word, petulant, you are indicating that it is unreasonable or unjustified.

What is the meaning of hyperbolically?

: of, relating to, or marked by language that exaggerates or overstates the truth : of, relating to, or marked by hyperbole hyperbolic claims. hyperbolic. adjective (2)

What Nemo means?

Nemo is an Oromo word meaning "The Man". Wow, you say... But wait. In Latin, the same word means "Nobody"!

Is it nimbler or more nimble?

Comparative form of nimble: more nimble.

What is a nimble thinker?

Letting go of unnecessary baggage will allow you to be a far more nimble thinker. Agility requires you to think and react quickly so that your response is relevant to the current circumstances. ... To be a nimble thinker one the most important things is to be able to distill complexity and make things simpler.