English

Alternative forms

• dinky-die

Adjective

dinky-di ‎(not comparable)

1. (Australian slang) Genuine, true.
   • 1950, Nevil Shute, A Town Like Alice, 2010, unnumbered page,

     ‘Is that dinky-die?’ he asked. ‘You came on to Australia because of me?’

   • 1962, Show: The Magazine of the Arts, Volume 2, page 74,

     Since Miss McKendry is a dinky-die Aussie with an accent thick as a kangaroo′s tail, she was hexed from the start.

   • 1985, Peter Carey, Illywhacker, Faber and Faber 2003, p. 282:

     ‘I was nearly a doctor,’ she said.

     ‘Fair dinkum?’

     ‘Dinky-di.’

   • 1986, Tony Wheeler, Australia, A Travel Survival Kit, Volume 4, page 43,

     For real value for money there are a couple of dinky-die Australian eating places you should certainly try, though.

2. (Australian slang, by extension) Authentically Australian.
   • 2009, Harry Blackley, Korean Rose, page 99,

     “Wonderful! By the time we′re old I'll be able to speak like an Australian.”

     “No way. You′ll never be dinky die. Your English is much too cultured. Just like you.”

   • 2009, Madeleine St. John, The Women in Black, page 155,

     ‘Come and meet Sandor and Eva, and here is their son Miklos, all right, Michael he insists on being now, he is dinky-die as they say, a proper Australian, he even forgets how to speak Hungarian, he has just left school like you— […] .’

3. (Australian slang) Honest, on the level.
   • 1959, Helen Marjorie Fowler, Hold a Bright Mirror, page 98,

     And if you want my dinky-die advice, you′ll let me take you to the cops.

4. (Australian slang) True blue, steadfastly loyal.
   • 1939, Australian Parliament, Parliamentary Debates, Volume 162, page 1254,

     These men to whom I am referring are “dinky-die” diggers and patriots.

Synonyms

• dinkum