"navvy" meaning in English

See navvy in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /ˈnævi/ Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-navvy.wav Forms: navvies [plural]
Rhymes: -ævi Etymology: Clipping of navigator, in reference to the navigation canals upon which these workers first toiled, + -y. Etymology templates: {{clipping|en|navigator}} Clipping of navigator, {{af|en|-y|id1=diminutive}} -y Head templates: {{en-noun|navvies}} navvy (plural navvies)
  1. (chiefly UK, historical) A laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad. Tags: UK, historical Derived forms: French navvy, steam navvy Related terms: navigation, navigator Translations (laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad): земляко́п (zjemljakóp) (english: digger) [masculine] (Belarusian), изкопчия (izkopčija) [masculine] (Bulgarian), kopáč (english: digger) [masculine] (Czech), grondwerker [masculine] (Dutch), terrassier [masculine] (French), manovale [masculine] (Italian), kopacz (english: digger) [masculine] (Polish), землеко́п (zemlekóp) (english: digger) [masculine] (Russian), kopáč (english: digger) [masculine] (Slovak), землеко́п (zemlekóp) (english: digger) [masculine] (Ukrainian)
    Sense id: en-navvy-en-noun-wLUpEfrV Categories (other): British English, English entries with incorrect language header, English terms suffixed with -y (diminutive), Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Belarusian translations, Terms with Bulgarian translations, Terms with Czech translations, Terms with Dutch translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Polish translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Slovak translations, Terms with Ukrainian translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 56 44 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -y (diminutive): 53 47 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 59 41 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 68 32 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 75 25 Disambiguation of Terms with Belarusian translations: 68 32 Disambiguation of Terms with Bulgarian translations: 64 36 Disambiguation of Terms with Czech translations: 66 34 Disambiguation of Terms with Dutch translations: 62 38 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 62 38 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 69 31 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 71 29 Disambiguation of Terms with Polish translations: 59 41 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 71 29 Disambiguation of Terms with Slovak translations: 65 35 Disambiguation of Terms with Ukrainian translations: 64 36

Verb

IPA: /ˈnævi/ Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-navvy.wav Forms: navvies [present, singular, third-person], navvying [participle, present], navvied [participle, past], navvied [past]
Rhymes: -ævi Etymology: Clipping of navigator, in reference to the navigation canals upon which these workers first toiled, + -y. Etymology templates: {{clipping|en|navigator}} Clipping of navigator, {{af|en|-y|id1=diminutive}} -y Head templates: {{en-verb}} navvy (third-person singular simple present navvies, present participle navvying, simple past and past participle navvied)
  1. (intransitive, UK, historical) To carry out physical labor on a civil engineering project. Tags: UK, historical, intransitive
    Sense id: en-navvy-en-verb-5ZOxB2wC Categories (other): British English, English terms suffixed with -y (diminutive) Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -y (diminutive): 53 47

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

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      "expansion": "Clipping of navigator",
      "name": "clipping"
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        "2": "-y",
        "id1": "diminutive"
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      "name": "af"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Clipping of navigator, in reference to the navigation canals upon which these workers first toiled, + -y.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "navvies",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
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  "hyphenation": [
    "nav‧vy"
  ],
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
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          "_dis": "62 38",
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          "_dis": "69 31",
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          "_dis": "71 29",
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      "derived": [
        {
          "word": "French navvy"
        },
        {
          "word": "steam navvy"
        }
      ],
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        {
          "ref": "1909, B. Lindsay, Stories of the Universe: Animal Life:",
          "text": "Suppose two lads, fresh from school, go out into the world to earn their living; one becomes a navvy and one a clerk. In five years' time these two young men will probably be very different in appearance from one another. The navvy will have developed his muscles; he will be broad-built, broad-chested, and strong.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1912 (date written), [George] Bernard Shaw, “Pygmalion”, in Androcles and the Lion, Overruled, Pygmalion, London: Constable and Company, published 1916, →OCLC, Act II, page 143:",
          "text": "His proper trade's a navvy; and he works at it sometimes too—for exercise—and earns good money at it.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2020 May 20, Philip Haigh, “Ribblehead: at the heart of the S&C's survival and its revival”, in Rail, page 26:",
          "text": "The navvies of the Midland Railway toiled for years to build it, enduring grim conditions in shanty towns that were built miles from civilisation. But build it they did, to form part of the Midland's main line between London St Pancras and Carlisle via Sheffield and Leeds from 1876.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
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        "A laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad."
      ],
      "id": "en-navvy-en-noun-wLUpEfrV",
      "links": [
        [
          "laborer",
          "laborer"
        ],
        [
          "civil engineering",
          "civil engineering"
        ],
        [
          "project",
          "project"
        ],
        [
          "canal",
          "canal"
        ],
        [
          "railroad",
          "railroad"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(chiefly UK, historical) A laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "navigation"
        },
        {
          "word": "navigator"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "historical"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "be",
          "english": "digger",
          "lang": "Belarusian",
          "roman": "zjemljakóp",
          "sense": "laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "земляко́п"
        },
        {
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "izkopčija",
          "sense": "laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "изкопчия"
        },
        {
          "code": "cs",
          "english": "digger",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "kopáč"
        },
        {
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "grondwerker"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "terrassier"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "manovale"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "english": "digger",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "kopacz"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "english": "digger",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "zemlekóp",
          "sense": "laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "землеко́п"
        },
        {
          "code": "sk",
          "english": "digger",
          "lang": "Slovak",
          "sense": "laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "kopáč"
        },
        {
          "code": "uk",
          "english": "digger",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "zemlekóp",
          "sense": "laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "землеко́п"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
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      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-navvy.wav",
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    },
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  "word": "navvy"
}

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  "etymology_text": "Clipping of navigator, in reference to the navigation canals upon which these workers first toiled, + -y.",
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  "lang_code": "en",
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          "ref": "1974, Malcolm MacDonald, World From Rough Stones, published 2013, unnumbered page:",
          "text": "But by pretending to believe he's navvied before, I've given him double reason to drive himself hard.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1978, John Shaw Neilson, The Autobiography of John Shaw Neilson, page 104:",
          "text": "Before my time of navvying I believe the times were still worse.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1995, F. R. Leavis, Ian Duncan MacKillop, Richard Storer, editors, F.R. Leavis: Essays and Documents, published 2005, page 89:",
          "text": "Three terms to use for George Eliot: the feminine imagination and sensibility; Intellect, the capacity for higher navvying; Intelligence.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
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        "To carry out physical labor on a civil engineering project."
      ],
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          "civil engineering",
          "civil engineering"
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        [
          "project",
          "project"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(intransitive, UK, historical) To carry out physical labor on a civil engineering project."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "historical",
        "intransitive"
      ]
    }
  ],
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    "Requests for review of German translations",
    "Rhymes:English/ævi",
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    "Terms with Belarusian translations",
    "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
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    "Terms with Dutch translations",
    "Terms with French translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Polish translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Slovak translations",
    "Terms with Ukrainian translations"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "French navvy"
    },
    {
      "word": "steam navvy"
    }
  ],
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
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      "word": "navigation"
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    {
      "word": "navigator"
    }
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        "English terms with historical senses",
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        "Quotation templates to be cleaned"
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        {
          "ref": "1909, B. Lindsay, Stories of the Universe: Animal Life:",
          "text": "Suppose two lads, fresh from school, go out into the world to earn their living; one becomes a navvy and one a clerk. In five years' time these two young men will probably be very different in appearance from one another. The navvy will have developed his muscles; he will be broad-built, broad-chested, and strong.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1912 (date written), [George] Bernard Shaw, “Pygmalion”, in Androcles and the Lion, Overruled, Pygmalion, London: Constable and Company, published 1916, →OCLC, Act II, page 143:",
          "text": "His proper trade's a navvy; and he works at it sometimes too—for exercise—and earns good money at it.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2020 May 20, Philip Haigh, “Ribblehead: at the heart of the S&C's survival and its revival”, in Rail, page 26:",
          "text": "The navvies of the Midland Railway toiled for years to build it, enduring grim conditions in shanty towns that were built miles from civilisation. But build it they did, to form part of the Midland's main line between London St Pancras and Carlisle via Sheffield and Leeds from 1876.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
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        "A laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad."
      ],
      "links": [
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          "laborer"
        ],
        [
          "civil engineering",
          "civil engineering"
        ],
        [
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          "project"
        ],
        [
          "canal",
          "canal"
        ],
        [
          "railroad",
          "railroad"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(chiefly UK, historical) A laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "historical"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
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  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "be",
      "english": "digger",
      "lang": "Belarusian",
      "roman": "zjemljakóp",
      "sense": "laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "земляко́п"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "izkopčija",
      "sense": "laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "изкопчия"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "english": "digger",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "kopáč"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "grondwerker"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "terrassier"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "manovale"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "english": "digger",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "kopacz"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "english": "digger",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "zemlekóp",
      "sense": "laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "землеко́п"
    },
    {
      "code": "sk",
      "english": "digger",
      "lang": "Slovak",
      "sense": "laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "kopáč"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "english": "digger",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "zemlekóp",
      "sense": "laborer on a civil engineering project such as a canal or railroad",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "землеко́п"
    }
  ],
  "word": "navvy"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English clippings",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms suffixed with -y (diminutive)",
    "English verbs",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Requests for review of German translations",
    "Rhymes:English/ævi",
    "Rhymes:English/ævi/2 syllables",
    "Terms with Belarusian translations",
    "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
    "Terms with Czech translations",
    "Terms with Dutch translations",
    "Terms with French translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Polish translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Slovak translations",
    "Terms with Ukrainian translations"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "navigator"
      },
      "expansion": "Clipping of navigator",
      "name": "clipping"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "-y",
        "id1": "diminutive"
      },
      "expansion": "-y",
      "name": "af"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Clipping of navigator, in reference to the navigation canals upon which these workers first toiled, + -y.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "navvies",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "navvying",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "navvied",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "navvied",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "navvy (third-person singular simple present navvies, present participle navvying, simple past and past participle navvied)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "nav‧vy"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "British English",
        "English intransitive verbs",
        "English terms with historical senses",
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1974, Malcolm MacDonald, World From Rough Stones, published 2013, unnumbered page:",
          "text": "But by pretending to believe he's navvied before, I've given him double reason to drive himself hard.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1978, John Shaw Neilson, The Autobiography of John Shaw Neilson, page 104:",
          "text": "Before my time of navvying I believe the times were still worse.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1995, F. R. Leavis, Ian Duncan MacKillop, Richard Storer, editors, F.R. Leavis: Essays and Documents, published 2005, page 89:",
          "text": "Three terms to use for George Eliot: the feminine imagination and sensibility; Intellect, the capacity for higher navvying; Intelligence.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To carry out physical labor on a civil engineering project."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "physical",
          "physical"
        ],
        [
          "labor",
          "labor"
        ],
        [
          "civil engineering",
          "civil engineering"
        ],
        [
          "project",
          "project"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(intransitive, UK, historical) To carry out physical labor on a civil engineering project."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "historical",
        "intransitive"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈnævi/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-navvy.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f2/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-navvy.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-navvy.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f2/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-navvy.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-navvy.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ævi"
    }
  ],
  "word": "navvy"
}

Download raw JSONL data for navvy meaning in English (8.6kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-12-21 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-12-04 using wiktextract (d8cb2f3 and 4e554ae). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.