NELLY


Meaning of NELLY in English

■ noun ( plural nellies ) informal

1》 a silly person.

2》 derogatory an effeminate homosexual man.

Phrases

not on your ~ Brit. certainly not. [orig. as not on your Nelly Duff , rhyming sl. for 'puff' (i.e. breath of life); modelled on the phr. not on your life .]

Origin

1930s: from the given name Nelly .

Concise Oxford English vocab.      Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка.