skivvy
Pronunciation
  • IPA: /ˈskɪvi/
Noun

skivvy (plural skivvies)

  1. (dated) A female domestic servant, especially one employed for menial work.
    • 1974, Simon Raven, Bring Forth the Body, Alms for Oblivion, Volume 3, 2012, [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=SSKKFAs4SAMC&pg=PA194&lpg=PA194&dq=%22skivvy%22|%22skivvies%22+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&source=bl&ots=rM8JIVnx_C&sig=K6JWKyCnk0c51CK2L210hm7_bI8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=RspOUOXtG6WImQWH8YCACQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22skivvy%22|%22skivvies%22%20-intitle%3A%22%22%20-inauthor%3A%22%22&f=false page 194],
      And then Somerset looked at the boys′ skivvy, and saw a well set up young woman with a red round face, an angry face just then but underneath the anger a pleasant one.
    • 2002, Krzysztof Miklaszewski, George M. Hyde (translator, editor), Encounters with Tadeusz Kantor, [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=on4PybkJDrkC&pg=PA143&lpg=PA143&dq=%22skivvy%22|%22skivvies%22+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&source=bl&ots=LrFvuMbEuv&sig=xNmUFxdJ10QrxkRYb_BrWcCKya4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=RspOUOXtG6WImQWH8YCACQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22skivvy%22|%22skivvies%22%20-intitle%3A%22%22%20-inauthor%3A%22%22&f=false page 143],
      The common skivvy from the mortuary clings immoveably to the priest′s bed, which is just as immoveably guarded by the grandmother, who drives her off with a chamberpot. The skivvy is the photographer′s widow, trying to take a picture.
    • 2005, Jenny Telfer Chaplin, The Widow of Candleriggs, [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=HYXaA5jU_yEC&pg=PT247&lpg=PT247&dq=%22Yes,+that+was+Mac%27s+Restaurant+and+I+was+a+kitchen+skivvy+there,+but+amazingly,+a+kitchen+skivvy+who+had+actually%22+-inauthor:%22%22&source=bl&ots=WjbIwk4k2K&sig=iyQ9NKceBHqMieYC9blOf1ACuNU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=kPhOUNqCCsznmAXDqYHIBw&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22Yes%2C%20that%20was%20Mac%27s%20Restaurant%20and%20I%20was%20a%20kitchen%20skivvy%20there%2C%20but%20amazingly%2C%20a%20kitchen%20skivvy%20who%20had%20actually%22%20-inauthor%3A%22%22&f=false unnumbered page],
      “ […] Yes, that was Mac′s Restaurant and I was a kitchen skivvy there, but amazingly, a kitchen skivvy who had actually written a poem. Oh it′s all a very long time ago, Theresa, and so much has happened since then.”
  2. (military slang, Vietnam War) A prostitute.
  3. (Australia, New Zealand) A close-fitting, long-sleeved T-shirt with a rolled collar.
    • 1998, Tom Byron, The History of Spearfishing and Scuba Diving in Australia, [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=qjEYAQAAIAAJ&q=%22skivvy%22|%22skivvies%22+australia+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&dq=%22skivvy%22|%22skivvies%22+australia+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&source=bl&ots=o7EX8H9pHM&sig=LBFv5Rexi4g_zbzTZ_RtLfAbaPU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1wFPUNOVFqSPmQX1_IDYDA&redir_esc=y page 191],
      I put my wetsuit and skivvy on a tree to dry, and laid out my other gear on some grass.
    • 2005, Randa Abdel-Fattah, Does My Head Look Big in This?, [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=gtP2c1TR7HgC&pg=PA224&lpg=PA224&dq=%22skivvy%22|%22skivvies%22+australia+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&source=bl&ots=UEpfGXYocu&sig=vZ_CWKbb-rOM3ZxaJM-CY9tlJXQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1wFPUNOVFqSPmQX1_IDYDA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22skivvy%22|%22skivvies%22%20australia%20-intitle%3A%22%22%20-inauthor%3A%22%22&f=false page 224],
      ‘He looks so good. He shouldn′t be allowed to wear a black skivvy. Doesn′t he have the most amazing muscles?’
    • 2006, Iain McIntyre, Tomorrow Is Today: Australia in the Psychedelic Era, 1966-1970, [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=AGiu7Typ4iQC&pg=PA41&lpg=PA41&dq=%22skivvy%22|%22skivvies%22+australia+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&source=bl&ots=y6cdo0h3oz&sig=kT1pkQLRRcM96hlYaJTuTt9SucQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1wFPUNOVFqSPmQX1_IDYDA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22skivvy%22|%22skivvies%22%20australia%20-intitle%3A%22%22%20-inauthor%3A%22%22&f=false page 41],
      The button-down shirts and plain coloured skivvies were replaced by beads, fringed shawls and loose fitting Asian-style tops.
Translations
  • Russian: прислу́га
Verb

skivvy (skivvies, present participle skivvying; past and past participle skivvied)

  1. (intransitive) To perform menial work; to do chores, like a servant.



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