chivvy

chivvy
chivvy (v.) "harass," 1918, from alternative form of chevy (1830) "to chase," from a noun chevy (1824, also used as a hunting cry, c.1785), from chevy chase "a running pursuit," probably from the "Ballad of Chevy Chase," popular song from 15c. describing a hunting party on the borderland that turned into a battle between the English and the Scots (the incident probably late 14c.). The place is probably originally Cheviot Chase.
The old song of Chevy-Chase is the favourite ballad of the common people of England, and Ben Jonson used to say, he had rather have been the author of it than of all his works. [Addison, "spectator" No. 70, May 21, 1711]

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • chivvy — v. same as {chivy}. [Also spelled {chivy}, {chevy}, and {chevvy}.] Syn: harass, hassle, harry, beset, plague, molest, provoke. [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • chivvy — (also chivy) ► VERB (chivvies, chivvied) ▪ tell (someone) repeatedly to do something. ORIGIN originally meaning «a hunting cry»: probably from the ballad Chevy Chase, celebrating a skirmish on the Scottish border …   English terms dictionary

  • chivvy — UK [ˈtʃɪvɪ] / US verb [transitive] Word forms chivvy : present tense I/you/we/they chivvy he/she/it chivvies present participle chivvying past tense chivvied past participle chivvied British to try to persuade someone to do something or to hurry… …   English dictionary

  • chivvy — chiv|vy [ tʃıvi ] verb transitive BRITISH to try to persuade someone to do something or to hurry them, especially when they do not really feel like it: chivvy someone into (doing) something: She chivvied me into buying a bigger car. chivvy… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • chivvy — chiv|vy chivy [ˈtʃıvi] v past tense and past participle chivvied present participle chivvying third person singular chivvies [T] BrE informal [Date: 1700 1800; Origin: Chevy Chase, place near the border between England and Scotland where a battle …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • chivvy — [[t]tʃɪ̱vi[/t]] chivvies, chivvying, chivvied VERB If you chivvy someone, you keep telling them to do something that they do not want to do. [BRIT] [V n into ing/n] There, the health care authority chivvies doctors into doing more preventive… …   English dictionary

  • chivvy — Chevy Chev y, n. [Written also {chivy}, and {chivvy}.] [Prob. fr. the ballad of Chevy Chase; cf. Prov. E. chevychase a noise, confusion, pursuit.] [Eng.] 1. A cry used in hunting. [Webster 1913 Suppl.] 2. A hunt; chase; pursuit. [Webster 1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • chivvy — Chivy Chiv y, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Chivied}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Chivying}.] [Cf. {Chevy}.] To goad, drive, hunt, throw, or pitch; to repeatedly cause annoyance or concern to. [Slang, Eng.] [Also spelled {chivvy}, {chevy}, and {chevvy}.] Dickens.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • chivvy — 1. verb a) To subject to harassment or verbal abuse. to chivvy the fox b) To coerce, as by persistent request. 2. noun A goad …   Wiktionary

  • chivvy — [c]/ˈtʃɪvi/ (say chivee) verb (chivvied, chivvying) –verb (t) 1. to harass; worry; nag. 2. British to chase; run after. –verb (i) 3. to scamper; race. –noun British 4. a hunting cry. 5. a hunt chase. –phrase …  

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