Definition
Short for 'topsy-turvy,' meaning upside down or in disorder; also a fictional character from 'Uncle Tom's Cabin.'
Etymology
From 'topsy-turvy,' which may derive from 'top' and the archaic word 'turvey' (possibly from 'turn away'). The term appeared in the 16th century with the meaning 'upside down' or 'in confusion.'
Kelly Says
The phrase 'topsy-turvy growth' describes unplanned, haphazard development—and 'topsy' as a character name from Stowe's novel became so famous it was used generically to describe enslaved people, a painful example of how literary characters can shape and distort real perceptions.
Translations
ARالعربية
منقلب
mun-qalib
CACatalà
a la inversa
a la in-ver-sa
CSČeština
na hlavě
na hla-ve
DADansk
på hovedet
pa ho-ve-det
DEDeutsch
auf dem Kopf
auf dem ko-pf
ELΕλληνικά
άπλα ανάποδα
a-pla a-na-po-da
ESEspañol
al revés
al re-ves
FISuomi
pää alaspäin
paa a-la-spa-in
FRFrançais
à l'envers
a la-n-ver
GUGU
પાર પાસે
paar pa-ase
HIहिन्दी
ऊपर नीचे
oo-par neeche
HUMagyar
fejjel lefelé
fej-jel le-fe-le
IDBahasa Indonesia
terbalik
ter-bal-ik
ITItaliano
capovolta
ka-po-vol-ta
MSBahasa Melayu
terbalik
ter-bal-ik
NLNederlands
op zijn kop
op zijn kop
NONorsk
på hodet
pa ho-det
PAPA
Upside down
up-side down
PLPolski
na głowie
na gwo-vie
PTPortuguês
de cabeça para baixo
de se-ka-pa para ba-so
RORomână
cu capul în jos
cu ca-pul in jos
RUРусский
перевёрнутый
pere-ver-nu-tyi
SVSvenska
upp och ner
upp och ner
SWKiswahili
kichwa
ki-twa
TAதமிழ்
மேல் கீழ்
me-l kee-zh
TEతెలుగు
పై అడుగు
pai a-dgu
UKУкраїнська
навпаки
navpa-ki
VITiếng Việt
lộn ngược
lộn nguc
ZUZU
ngaphandle
ngap-han-dle