Skip to content

barmy

adjective

No English definition recorded for this entry.

L307689 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ˈbɑːmi/ / /ˈbɑɹmi/

adj

Etymology: Probably an alteration of balmy (“foolish; slightly crazy or mad, eccentric”), influenced by barm (“foam rising upon beer or other malt liquors when fermenting, and used as leaven”) (see etymology 1).

  1. Crazy, mad; also, eccentric, odd, strange.

    [T]he exercise yard of the "barmy fellows," as he called the madmen, (meaning, I suppose, that their brains were in an unnatural state of working,) was but a stone's throw from himself and his rational companions, […]

    "Bli'me if I know wot yer all talkin' abaht. You're all barmy on the crumpet," said Liza indignantly, and, turning her back on them, made for home.

  2. Very foolish.

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Russian бармы (barmy)bor. English barmy Borrowed from Russian бармы (barmy).

  1. plural of barma (“a regal Russian mantle or neckpiece made of gold, encrusted with diamonds and other gems”)