dinky-di

English

Alternative forms

• dinky-die

Etymology

Fanciful diminutive form of dinkum.

Pronunciation

• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˈdɪŋkiˈdɑi/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /dɪŋkiˈdʌɪ/
• (US) IPA^(key): /dɪŋkiˈdaɪ/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Adjective

dinky-di (not comparable) (Australia, slang)

1. Genuine, true.
   • 1950, Nevil Shute, A Town Like Alice, published 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, published 2003, page 282:

     ‘I was nearly a doctor,’ she said.
     ‘Fair dinkum?’
     ‘Dinky-di.’

   • 1986, Tony Wheeler, Australia, A Travel Survival Kit‎^[1], 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. (by extension) Authentically Australian.
   • 2009, Harry Blackley, Korean Rose‎^[2], 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^[3], 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. Honest, on the level.
   • 1959, Helen Marjorie Fowler, Hold a Bright Mirror‎^[4], page 98:

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

4. True blue, steadfastly loyal.
   • 1939, Australian Parliament, Parliamentary Debates‎^[5], volume 162, page 1254:

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

Synonyms

• dinkum