adj
bally
BA-lee
Bally (adj) means a dated, mild British slang intensifier meaning "bloody" — used to add emphasis without swearing outright. Example: “What a bally nuisance this rain is!”
adj
1
A dated, mild British slang intensifier meaning "bloody" — used to add emphasis without swearing outright.
"“I dislike to frighten the ladies, sir,” he said, “but she can’t float a dozen minutes, in my opinion. There’s a hole in her you could drive a bally cow through, sir.”"
— Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan (1913)
"What a bally nuisance this rain is!"
adv
1
Used the same way to mean "very" or "extremely."
"That's a bally good idea."
How to use bally
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn old-fashioned, polite way of saying "bloody" for emphasis, mostly heard in early-to-mid 20th century British English.
When to use it
Sounds dated now — the kind of word you'd hear from a stiff-upper-lip period-drama character, not modern speech.
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Word forms
- Plural
- ballies
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What a _____ nuisance this rain is!
Etymology
A softened alteration of "bloody," used to swear without actually swearing.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for bally
See all rhymes for bally →Frequently asked questions
What does “bally” mean?
The word “bally” means a dated, mild British slang intensifier meaning "bloody" — used to add emphasis without swearing outright. In plain terms, an old-fashioned, polite way of saying "bloody" for emphasis, mostly heard in early-to-mid 20th century British English.
How do you pronounce “bally”?
“Bally” is pronounced BA-lee (/ˈbæli/ in IPA).
How do you use “bally” in a sentence?
Here is “bally” used in a sentence: “What a bally nuisance this rain is!”
What part of speech is “bally”?
Depending on how it is used, “bally” can be an adjective and an adverb.
How many meanings does “bally” have?
“Bally” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a dated, mild British slang intensifier meaning "bloody" — used to add emphasis without swearing outright.
