Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Australia, New Zealand, UK, informal Of poor or dubious quality, shoddy, unreliable.

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • Nb 'shonky' is strictly a Discworld term in this context.

    kateelliott: Question for the Hive Mind kateelliott 2009

  • gradually changed from blasé to concerned as the death-toll grew sort of knew a sure-fire way to sublimate angst – gave to the first relief collector who happened to call a shonky deal; seems all he collected was for himself they said on the news, not

    Bush Fire Shame Ivan Donn Carswell 2009

  • gradually changed from blasé to concerned as the death-toll grew sort of knew a sure-fire way to sublimate angst – gave to the first relief collector who happened to call a shonky deal; seems all he collected was for himself they said on the news, not

    Archive 2009-05-01 Ivan Donn Carswell 2009

  • As per the 'shonky' shops mentioned by Sir Terry in the Discworld books.

    kateelliott: Question for the Hive Mind kateelliott 2009

  • I wanted to give credit to Australia and not to get caught in some kind of shonky business, and I can assure you now that we didn't do anything that was improper in this whole period.

    WalesOnline - Home 2010

  • I wanted to give credit to Australia and not to get caught in some kind of shonky business, and I can assure you now that we didn't do anything that was improper in this whole period.

    Evening Standard - Home 2010

  • I wanted to give credit to Australia and not to get caught in some kind of shonky business, and I can assure you now that we didn't do anything that was improper in this whole period.

    The Independent - Frontpage RSS Feed 2010

  • I wanted to give credit to Australia and not to get caught in some kind of shonky business, and I can assure you now that we didn't do anything that was improper in this whole period.

    Telegraph.co.uk - Telegraph online, Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph 2010

  • I wanted to give credit to Australia and not to get caught in some kind of shonky business, and I can assure you now that we didn't do anything that was improper in this whole period.

    Telegraph.co.uk - Telegraph online, Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph 2010

  • I wanted to give credit to Australia and not to get caught in some kind of shonky business, and I can assure you now that we didn't do anything that was improper in this whole period.

    Telegraph.co.uk - Telegraph online, Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph 2010

Comments

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  • Adj., poorly-made, sub-standard, unreliable.

    August 29, 2008

  • I like this word. Thanks yarb. (Is it rude? Mildly rude?)

    August 29, 2008

  • No, it's a perfectly innocent word. Usually refers to something mechanical, e.g. "I couldn't watch those bonus features, cause my DVD player's one of those shonky own-brand jobs".

    I've also heard it used to refer to something morally dubious, along the lines of iffy and dodgy.

    August 30, 2008

  • I used to hear people use "wonky" that way until it took on a new (and different) meaning.

    August 30, 2008

  • "How many blokes dyou owe?

    One fella who owns all the fellas. He's a nasty cove.

    What're they gunna do?

    Work it out of me, I spose. There's plenty of shonky jobs they'll want done."

    Cloudstreet by Tim Winton, p 234 of the Graywolf Press hardcover edition

    April 1, 2010