Translingual

Proper noun

Barney

1. A botanical plant name author abbreviation for botanist E.E. Barney (fl. 1877-79).

English

Proper noun

Barney

1. A male given name, and a diminutive of Barnabas, Barnaby, Bernard, or Barnett.
2. A surname​ based on the given names, or from the place name Barney, Old English "barn/barley island".
3. A city/village in North Dakota.

Quotations

• 1977 Richard F.Snow, Barney Oldfield, American Heritage Magazine, February 1977

  "Who the **** do you think you are — Barney Oldfield?" That was the motorcycle cop’s standard question for fifty years, and even today you can hear it once in a while if you get caught speeding.

• 1999 Ian Rankin: Dead Souls ISBN 0312974205 page 27:

  "Barney Mee?" he said.

  More laughter on the line. "I never knew why everyone called me that."

  Rebus could have told him: after Barney Rubble in The Flintstones. He could have added: because you were a dense wee bastard.

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English

Noun

barney ‎(plural barneys)

1. (Britain, Australia) A noisy argument.
   • 2007, Dave Brooks, For Nil Consideration, page 230,

     Gary and Mum went mental, and Gary phoned them up and had a right Barney with them.

   • 2009, Neville Conway, An Ornament to His Profession, page 45,

     ‘They had a right barney,’ Dexter said with glee, between mouthfuls. ‘Bloke wouldn′t go. Said he′d write to his MP.’

   • 2010, Michael White, The Art of Murder, unnumbered page,

     ‘ […] I bet there was a right barney over her wearing a dress that exposed the rose tattoo!’ Turner concluded with a laugh.

2. (Britain, Australia) A minor physical fight.
   • 1982, Ruth Dudley Edwards, Corridors of Death, page 157,

     I got stuck in the middle of a real barney between a couple of tough coppers and a handful of hairy protesters, and I didn't enjoy it one single bit.

   • 2010, Katie Flynn, The Liverpool Rose, page 200,

     But he doesn't seem to be so — so angry all the time, and it's ages since he and Aunt Annie had a real barney, with flying fists and screechings, that sort of thing.

   • 2011, Cynthia Harrod-Eagles, Killing Time, unnumbered page,

     ‘I heard this crash, like the door was being kicked in, and then a load of shoutin′ an′ crashin′ about, like someone was havin' a real barney.’

Synonyms

• (noisy argument): quarrel, row, see also Wikisaurus:argument
• (fight): fisticuffs, scuffle, see also Wikisaurus:fight

Verb

barney ‎(third-person singular simple present barneys, present participle barneying, simple past and past participle barneyed)

1. (Britain, Australia) To argue, to quarrel.

Synonyms

• (argue): bicker, have a barney, row, squabble, see also Wikisaurus:squabble

Etymology 2

From the character Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show.

Noun

barney ‎(plural barneys)

1. (US, pejorative slang) A police officer, usually one perceived as inferior or overzealous.
   • 2005, “Scott Peterson's sister speaks out”, in (Please provide the title of the work), MSNBC, March 3, 2005: “Foo”

Synonyms

• (police officer): fed, pig, see also Wikisaurus:police officer

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