Dodgy

Dodgy (adjective / UK Slang)

(Also heard as: Dodgy as, A bit dodgy, Well dodgy)

Definition:

Dodgy means suspicious, unreliable, risky or of poor quality. A dodgy kebab might make you ill, a dodgy deal might be illegal, and a dodgy knee does not work properly. It is one of the most useful everyday words in British English.

Where Dodgy Comes From:

It comes from the verb “dodge”, meaning to avoid or twist away, first used in the 1800s. A “dodger” was someone tricky or evasive, and “dodgy” grew from that to describe anything shifty or not quite right. It is also common in Australia and Ireland.

How People Actually Use Dodgy:

People say it about food, people, areas, deals, wi-fi and anything unreliable. “A bit dodgy” is a polite warning. “Dodgy geezer” describes someone untrustworthy. Mechanics say it of faulty parts, and doctors hear “my dodgy back” all the time.

Is Dodgy Rude?

No, but calling a person dodgy is a real accusation of untrustworthiness, so it can offend. About objects it is harmless.

Examples in the Wild:

• “I am not eating that, the chicken looks dodgy.”

  Meaning: It might make me ill.

• “He sold me a dodgy phone.”

  Meaning: It was faulty or possibly stolen.

• “Bit dodgy round there after dark.”

  Meaning: It is not a safe area.

Similar Slang:

Sus, Shambles, Naff, Wonky, Geezer, Pear-Shaped

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